Have you ever felt the urge to nod off when you were behind the wheel? Maybe your eyelids grew heavy or it suddenly became increasingly harder to focus on the road in front of you.
These are all signs of drowsy driving, which can be just as dangerous as driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Motorists who are fatigued run the risk of falling asleep at the wheel and causing a devastating collision as a result.
Despite the potentially fatal consequences of driving while drowsy, millions of motorists do it every single day. In a 2005 study, for example, 103 million adult drivers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that at least 100,000 motor vehicle collisions are the result of driver fatigue annually.
If you were hurt in a car accident with a drowsy driver and you want to hold the liable motorist accountable for your injuries, contact Ballard Law, PLLC. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and non-economic damages. Call 769-572-5111 to schedule a free case evaluation with an accident attorney in Madison.
Read on to learn about some of the warning signs of drowsing driving so you know when to pull over to take a nap or grab a cup of coffee:
- Difficulty Reading Road Signs
Fatigue may not necessarily cause blurred vision, but it can affect your ability to focus on the road ahead. You may not be able to read road signs, identify oncoming vehicles, or even keep your eyes open without feeling the need to blink frequently.
- Missing Exits
If you miss your exit or you cannot remember the last few miles that you have driven, it is time to pull over and assess your level of fatigue. When your brain is in a fog due to drowsy driving, it is incredibly dangerous to stay behind the wheel and continue driving.
Not only are you more likely to get lost and end up in an unfamiliar area, but you may also misunderstand traffic signals. For example, you might treat a red traffic light like a stop sign, which could result in a serious T-bone collision.
- Irritability and Restlessness
The body responds to fatigue in strange ways. Sometimes, if you are especially tired, you may actually surpass the point of drowsiness and start feeling restless and irritable instead. This irritability may make you more prone to road rage and more likely to make rash decisions in traffic that could have devastating consequences.
- Drifting
If you find yourself drifting onto the rumble strip, traveling too closely behind the car in front of your, or swerving in and out of your lane, you could be at risk of causing a crash. Consider pulling over to a safe place to take a quick power nap, and make sure you grab an energy drink or coffee before hitting the road again.
Unfortunately, even if you make it a point to avoid drowsy driving, millions of other motorists do not. If you were injured in a car accident with a drowsy driver, turn to Ballard Law, PLLC for quality legal counsel. You will pay no attorneys’ fees unless you recover compensation.
Call 769-572-5111 to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Madison. If you want to learn more about car accident claims in Mississippi, visit USAttorneys.com.
