In Open Court

Many people who would never get behind the wheel after drinking might think nothing of driving while fatigued. A new study, however, finds that sleepy drivers are almost as dangerous as drunk drivers.

The study from France and published as a letter in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that drunk drivers and fatigued drivers were at least twice as likely to be responsible for a car accident compared to drivers who were either sober or well rested.

As a personal injury lawyer in Oklahoma City, Dan Davis has seen how devastating an accident caused by a fatigued driver can be. The study about sleepy drivers and car accidents is not surprising, but interesting. Drivers who have not had enough shut eye have been responsible for Oklahoma City rear end accidents, head on collisions and other types of car crashes in Oklahoma. Truck drivers who spend long hours on the road trying to reach their destination on time also may be responsible for catastrophic asleep-at-the-wheel accidents.

According to the news service Reuters, a scientist who studies sleep disorders said someone driving with just four hours of sleep will be impaired in the same way as a driver who consumed a six pack. Someone who drove after an entire night of sleep loss will be impaired the same way as someone with a blood alcohol content of .19, according to the scientist.

The research was conducted by analyzing information from 679 drivers admitted to a hospital in France for more than 24 hours because of a serious accident between 2007 and 2009, according to Reuters. The patients reported how much sleep they had prior to the accident, along with other factors such as alcohol consumption or what medications they were taking.

One interesting aspect of the study is that taking medications that carry warnings about how the drug will affect a driver’s abilities was tied to a lower risk of causing an accident. Motorists may be more cautious because they are aware of the side effects.

The best way to avoid an Oklahoma City fatigued driver accident is to get some rest before getting behind the wheel. If you’re feeling sleepy while driving, pull over and find some coffee or an energy drink. Don’t hesitate to take a short nap at a rest stop. Too much is at stake to risk your life or an innocent person’s life.

If you or a loved one was injured by a fatigued driver, or a loved one was killed by someone who fell asleep behind the wheel, contact an experienced Oklahoma City personal injury attorney. Talk to Daniel M. Davis, attorney and counselor of law: 1-800-HURTLINE.

Daniel M. Davis Personal Injury Attorneys Oklahoma City
525 NW 13th
Oklahoma City, OK 73103

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