Being an auto accident lawyer, Camp Hill and Harrisburg residents would be amazed to find out how many accidents we see being caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. In fact, more than 100,000 crashes a year are caused by a driver falling asleep behind the wheel of a car. People will frequently drive while they’re tired, but they fail to realize how close they are to actually nodding off. It can be difficult for drivers to fully realize the extent of their exhaustion until it is too late, but if you happen to be a passenger in a car, keep an eye out for these warning signs that your driver may be falling asleep:
- Frequent blinking or yawning
- Trouble remembering the past few miles that were driven
- Missing an exit
- Drifting in and out of the lane
- Drifting off into the breakdown lane and hitting a rumble strip
Many Americans are tired all the time, so they don’t even really think about how their drowsiness can be extremely dangerous on the road. They do know that driving drunk is dangerous though, right? Consider offering this information next time your friend wants to drive while they are exhausted: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that cognitive impairment after 18 hours awake is similar to that of someone with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%. After about 24 hours awake, impairment is equivalent to a BAC of 0.10%, which is higher than the legal limit in all 50 states. In addition, lower levels of alcohol amplify the effect of inadequate sleep.
If you are in a car with a driver who is clearly too sleepy to drive, suggest that they pull over and take a nap, or offer to take over the driving duties if you are not tired and able to drive.
Were you injured in a crash caused by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel? It’s time to call an experienced auto accident attorney! Harrisburg is home to Schmidt Kramer, a law firm that has helped car accident victims get the compensation they deserve. Call today for a free consultation at (717) 888-8888.