Getting as much done as possible in any given day is a common goal of many people in this country. Unfortunately, that often means making sacrifices, sometimes which include missing out on sleep. It may not seem like a lack of sleep would be a huge issue for most people; however, it can be a critical error if someone decides to drive a vehicle while they’re fatigued.
It’s estimated that around one in every five fatal crashes in this country has fatigued driving as a contributing factor. Many people don’t realize that going without sleep for a long period of time can lead to effects that mimic those of impairment. By the time a person has been awake for 17 hours, they have effects that are similar to those of a person who has a blood alcohol concentration of .05%, which is just below the .08% that’s considered legally impaired.
What can cause fatigue?
Lack of sleep is one of the major causes of fatigue, but it isn’t the only one. The time of day can also play a role in fatigue because of the body’s natural sleep and wake cycle, which is known as the Circadian rhythm. Trying to drive when the body is signaling sleep can be dangerous.
Certain medications, such as narcotics and those to combat allergies, can cause fatigue. Sleep disorders and driving in monotonous areas or along long stretches of highway can sometimes cause drivers to become drowsy.
One of the primary hazards of fatigued driving is the possibility of microsleeps. These are short spurts of sleep that last a few seconds. While they might be brief, they can be fatal. When traveling at 55 miles per hour, dozing off for just five seconds means that a vehicle is uncontrolled for 100 yards, which is one football field in length.
For victims of fatigued driving crashes, medical care is often necessary. Serious injuries might be costly, so victims may opt to pursue compensation claims. Working with someone familiar with these matters may be beneficial since they can often be complex.