People place a big emphasis on how much they can get done in any given day, but this sometimes means that they try to do things when they haven’t had enough sleep. While some things aren’t too dangerous for a person who’s fatigued to do, driving is inherently hazardous when the driver is drowsy.
Most people accept that drunk driving is dangerous, but they don’t think the same about fatigued driving. A person who goes 20 hours without sleep will suffer similar effects on their ability to drive as if they had a blood alcohol concentration of .08%, so it should be easy to see how hazardous fatigued driving is.
Why is fatigued driving so dangerous?
Fatigue can make it more difficult to react appropriately when things happen while driving. It can delay reaction time and alter cognitive abilities.
Another negative effect of fatigued driving is the chance of microsleeps, which are short periods of dozing off. These can happen while the vehicle is in motion, so even short microsleeps can be deadly. If a driver dozes for five seconds while traveling at 55 miles per hour, the vehicle will go the length of a football field. That’s ample distance and time for a catastrophic crash to occur.
Victims of fatigued driving crashes can suffer from serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. This can be costly and may require them to take time off work. Individuals who are facing this may consider filing a claim for compensation, which might require the assistance of someone familiar with these matters.