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Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Begins November 4, 2018

by  on  Car Accidents & Motor Vehicle Collisions

Each November, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recognizes Drowsy Driving Prevention Week as a way to raise awareness about the risks of driving fatigued and falling asleep behind the wheel. For 2018, Drowsy Driving Prevention Week will take place from November 4 through November 11.

When Are You Too Tired to Drive?

When are you too tired to drive? This is a question that most people don’t quite know how to answer. Even when they are tired, most people assume that they will be able to keep themselves awake behind the wheel.

But, according to the NSF, a significant percentage of the population overestimates their ability to fight off drowsiness – even when engaged in a mentally-stimulating activity such as driving. Specifically, the NSF’s data show that:

  • Nearly one in four adults in the U.S. say they personally know someone who has fallen asleep behind the wheel.
  • About half of all men and women have driven drowsy, with men taking this risk at a slightly higher rate than women (56 percent of men versus 45 percent of women).
  • Young adults (ages 18 to 29) are far more likely than older drivers to make the mistake of driving when they are too drowsy to do so safely.
  • Approximately 70 million people in the U.S. are sleep deprived or suffer from sleep disorders that put them at risk for causing an accident while drowsy or fatigued.

In order to avoid driving drowsy, the NSF recommends:

  • Getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night;
  • Not driving if you have been awake for 24 hours or longer;
  • Taking a break every 100 miles or every two hours you are on the road;
  • Planning regular stops for short naps during road trips; and,
  • Driving during hours that you are normally awake.

Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is a good time to take a break from driving if you find yourself:

  • Yawning or blinking frequently;
  • Having difficulty remembering the last few miles you drove;
  • Missing an exit;
  • Drifting from your lane; or,
  • Hitting a rumble strip.

The Risks of Drowsy Driving

The risks of drowsy driving are very real. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that drowsy drivers are responsible for hundreds of preventable deaths each year, with far more accidents resulting in serious but non-fatal injuries. A couple of years ago, NPR published a report which concluded that, “crash rates spike with every hour of lost sleep.” Have you been injured or lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a drowsy driver? If so, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Consultation at Levine Law

To speak with a personal injury attorney about your drowsy driving accident in Denver, please call  303-333-8000 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you, and we will arrange for you to meet with one of our attorneys as soon as possible.