Most people in Louisiana know that it’s a bad idea to drive under the influence of alcohol. However, many people believe that it’s fine to drive when you’re tired or sleep-deprived. Your concentration might be a little foggy, but it shouldn’t affect your driving skills–right? In fact, studies have shown that driving while fatigued can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.
Why is drowsy driving such a problem?
Studies have shown that a fifth of car accidents involve fatigued drivers. While it might seem harmless, driving while fatigued isn’t much different from drunk driving. Your brain is foggy, you have trouble concentrating, you make poor decisions and you suffer from memory loss. Worse yet, you might fall asleep while you’re on the road.
A study in 2000 asked people to perform certain tasks while they were drunk, then perform the same tasks again while they were sober but sleep-deprived. The results showed that being fatigued impacted their awareness just as much as being drunk. And the amount of time made a difference: being sleep-deprived for even one hour more had a huge impact on their cognitive abilities.
With these facts in mind, it’s clear that driving while fatigued isn’t as harmless as people think it is. If possible, always get a full night’s sleep if you have to get up early in the morning. Avoid driving when you’re fatigued and consider spending the night at another person’s house if possible.
Can an attorney help you with a personal injury case?
Someone thought they could drive while they were sleep-deprived and ended up crashing into your vehicle. Now you’re dealing with serious injuries, lost wages and physical rehabilitation. An attorney might be able to help you deal with the other driver’s insurance company and collect compensation.