Have you ever driven while feeling fatigued or drowsy? For an accident to occur, all it takes is a driver zoning out or drifting off for a second or two. Drowsy drivers may lose control of the wheel and either go off the road or crash into another vehicle. Their reaction time weakens, and they fail to respond quickly when a light changes or a car ahead of them brakes or enters their lane.
The CDC reports that crash fatalities caused by drowsy driving tend to be underestimated. Even so, the known cases can account for tens of thousands of injuries and hundreds of fatalities in a given year across the US.
Maryland’s drowsy driving campaign
OHS Online recently reported that four states will receive grants from the Governors Highway Safety Association to help combat drowsy driving. Maryland is one of the recipients; the state’s Department of Transportation will direct its focus on shift workers in the medical field, using educational materials and social media content, such as Facebook posts, to reach people.
A driver’s job schedule is one of the contributing factors to drowsiness on the road. Drivers who need to get up in the middle of the night for their job or are driving home after a long shift of difficult work are especially vulnerable to dozing off at the wheel. However, even drivers who have more regular work hours can be susceptible to drowsy driving if they’re suffering from a lack of sleep, or if they’re experiencing a side effect of drowsiness from a medication.
Receiving help after a drowsy driving accident
To stay safe on the road, it’s important to monitor your mental state. If you realize you’re losing focus, yawning repeatedly, blinking a lot, or forgetting important details (such as the exit you just drove by), try to pull over when safely possible. Maybe one of your passengers has a license and can take over at the wheel, or you can summon assistance. The inconvenience will be much more minor compared to what you would experience in the aftermath of an accident.
Should you suffer an accident, don’t hesitate to contact us at 844-Take-MyCase or through our website, www.844TakeMyCase.com. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook, as we share legal and safety news and tips on our Facebook page.
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