Fatigue & Exhaustion Causing Crashes

My team and I fight for justice everyday for our Rhode Island and Massachusetts car accident clients just like you. One trend we have seen lately is the drowsy driving causing personal injuries. Today, I am going to bring same awareness to this issue.

Drowsy Driving in the Media

Recently, country singer Kylie Rae Harris passed away in an auto accident in Taos, New Mexico. Before the car accident occurred, Harris went to social media to talk about how she has been on the road for 12 hours straight.

After the news came out, her mother told People Magazine, “She had driven 11 or 12 hours that day, and I’m sure that she was exhausted and she was emotionally exhausted. And I think we all know that what that does to you.” Her mother also stated that her daughter had struggled with alcohol, which could be another cause of the accident.

Keeping Yourself Awake Behind the Wheel

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found drowsy driving to be a much bigger personal injury issue than it seemed to be. In a study conducted by the organization, they found that 8.8-9.5% of all auto accidents involve drowsy drivers, nearly 5 times higher than federal estimates.

Multiple studies have also discovered a trend of drivers who are at an increased risk for contributing to an accident related to fatigue:

  1. Shift workers
  2. People who work more than 60 hours a week
  3. Commercial drivers
  4. Business travelers
  5. People with undiagnosed or untreated sleep disorders

Despite there being a group of drivers that are more likely to cause a drowsy driving accident, it could still happen to anyone. The best way to prevent drowsy driving is to simply get enough sleep every night. Other tips to avoid this are:

  • Avoid alcohol before driving
  • Wait to take medications that make you sleepy
  • Make a sleep schedule and stick to it
  • Bring a buddy – they will be able to detect early signed of fatigue and can switch roles when needed.

It’s Good To Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Personal Injury Help

At the Bottaro Law Firm, LLC, we handle all types of personal injury cases every day. Honesty. Integrity. Results. Our experienced legal team is here to fight for your rights. Contact us in any method you prefer 24/7 for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call: 401-777-7777 or fill out our free and confidential online form.