Memphis Automobile Accident Attorney Discusses the Dangers of Drowsy Driving

By Thomas Greer | December 1, 2014

Many Americans are not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can affect every area of our lives; from how we behave towards our families, friends, and coworkers, to how efficiently we perform our jobs, to how quick our reaction time is while performing tasks like driving, which affect our safety and the safety of others. Unfortunately, people often underestimate the risks that are associated with drowsy driving and operate their vehicles when they are fatigued or tired. The amount of accidents that are caused by drowsy driving has been increasing in recent years. Unfortunately, all it takes is one journey behind the wheel when you are too tired to drive or one ride in a drowsy driver’s car to severely injure or kill you.

Drowsy driving has hit close to home lately. An East Tennessee woman remains in a coma after the vehicle that she was riding in crashed into a concrete barrier after the driver fell asleep. It is uncertain whether the woman, who is pregnant with a healthy baby boy, will ever come out of her coma.

Sleepiness can have a similar effect on drivers to alcohol. Like alcohol, sleepiness increases your risk of having an accident because it decreases awareness, impairs judgment, and slows reaction time. Unlike alcohol, though, there is no test that can be given to a driver after a crash to determine whether he or she was drowsy or even asleep when the accident occurred. Because of this, and because it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of a fatal crash in case where drowsy driving is suspected, the number of accidents which are caused by drowsy driving may be drastically underreported.

Fortunately, there are some things which can help investigators determine whether a driver was drowsy or asleep at the time of the crash. If there are no skid marks at an accident scene, it is quite possible that the driver was asleep when the accident occurred. Also, single-vehicle accidents involving a lone driver who has died or who has sustained serious injuries are often caused by drowsy driving.

Many of us have things going on in our lives which interfere with our ability to get a good night’s sleep every night. Things like choosing to sleep too little on a regular basis, sleep that is interrupted multiple times each night, medications, work schedules that interfere with our body’s natural circadian rhythms, and sleep disorders often leave us feeling tired during our waking hours. Feeling tired may cause a few problems at home or at work if you are moody and irritable, but it can cause you to have a devastating accident if you choose to drive when you are not awake and alert enough to do so safely.

If you have recently lost a loved one to drowsy driving or you were injured in a drowsy driving accident, the Memphis Automobile Accident Attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC  are here to help you. Schedule a time to talk to us about your case by calling us at 901-680-9777.

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