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More and More Accidents Are Caused by Drowsy Driving: Are You Surprised?

In the state of California, we’re seeing more and more accidents due to drowsy driving – and we’re not the only state to see this. A recent study has shown that these accidents are on the rise it connects the dots to show why. Read on to get the answer and then reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you’ve been the victim of a car accident.

Not getting enough sleep has many symptoms

Most people know that they’re “supposed” to get eight hours of sleep each night. However, as we Americans become more scheduled, have more to do, and get busier and busier, an hour or two of sleep gets cut all the time. There are many ways that this might affect you, from higher rates of depression, to gaining weight, and other negative situations.

Less sleep leads to more car crashes

Experts who study these things have said that there’s no question that the less sleep a person gets, the more likely they are to be in a car accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has gone a long way toward making drowsy driving known as a danger, yet around one in five fatal car accidents involves a drowsy driver.

AAA has confirmed these findings in their own studies. They found that if a person who’s slept five to six hours are more than twice as likely to get into an accident as are people who’ve slept at least seven hours. That said, keep in mind that sleep specialist professionals say that seven hours of sleep is good but the ideal is nine.

Comparing drowsy drivers to drunk drivers

When you consider that a person who hasn’t slept at last seven hours in the last 24 hours is at least twice as likely to get into an accident as someone who get sufficient sleep, it’s important to think about what that really means. To get an idea of how substantial those numbers are, consider that this stat is about the same for drunk drivers. That’s right – drunk drivers are twice as likely to get into an accident than a sober driver, which is the same difference between tired and well-rested individuals.

A few more things to consider

There are a few things to consider when looking at these numbers. First, information was gathered from police and emergency responders. The data is based on what those drivers reported to them. Second, napping works too. The key is to have had at least seven hours of sleep in the last 24 hours before you get behind the wheel of a car. Finally, even people who get plenty of sleep can be drowsy drivers. For example, some medications make a person drowsy. This is why you should never drive the first time you take a new medication.

If you were injured as a result of a drowsy driver getting behind the wheel, then Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas wants to talk to you. Call us today at 909-982-0707 and request your free consultation.