The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drowsy driving causes about 72,000 accidents per year. If you have been in an accident caused by a drowsy driver, you might want to know what the next step is from a Personal Injury Lawyer in La Verne and if you are allowed to file an accident claim.
Every driver has a responsibility to take reasonable care of every other person on or near the road. If drivers get fatigued or drowsy, they violate this responsibility when they cause an accident due to them being tired.Drowsy driving can occur due to a few instances, especially if the driver:
• does not get enough sleep
• Has a sleeping disorder
• Takes any kind of over-the-counter or prescription medication that might cause drowsiness.
Personal Injury Lawyer in La Verne knows that although drowsy driving is caused by a range of factors, it can present itself in different ways, such as:
• Sleeping while driving
• Not paying the required attention to other drivers, the road, or pedestrians
• Having a slower reaction time
• Making perilous decisions while driving.
Risks involved
Although drowsy driving can affect any driver, the NHTSA saw that certain factors increase the likelihood of drowsy driving. For example, drowsy driving has a higher chance of occurring if the driver has not slept enough, is under the influence of sedative medications, or has consumed alcohol. Accident Attorney in La Verne knows that the risk especially increases during mid-afternoon, between12 a.m.to 6 a.m., or after they have been driving for an extended period without taking a break.
According to the NHTSA, males from ages 16 to 29, people working irregular hours, and individuals with sleep disorders are the most likely to engage in drowsy driving.
What conditions lead to such accidents?
A lot of these accidents caused by drowsy driving involve one or more of these reasons:
• A vehicle leaving the roadway
• if the driver is alone
• The driver fails to take evasive action or swerve
• The driver crossing a drifting onto oncoming traffic and/or double yellow line before the crash
• Failure to remember what happened right before the crash
• Driving during odd hours
How can you prevent it?
Accidents caused from drowsy driving are far more severe than other accidents, due to the driver's slow reaction time and failure to make an evasive action.Accident Attorney in La Verne says it becomes important to recognize all warning signs and take steps to stay alert to prevent any such situation. Blinking or yawning frequently, moving out of the specified lane, missing an exit or hitting the roadside rumble strip, are all tell-tale signs of driver fatigue. It is best you let someone else drive or pull over to avoid these symptoms while driving. To read more BL Accident Law
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