William D. Umansky Automobile Accidents Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of truck and automobile accidents.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drivers who are fatigued cause 71,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths each year, in approximately 100,000 crashes.   How prevalent is the problem?  The National Sleep Foundation conducted a survey in 2004 of nearly 1,500 drivers.  An astonishing 60% admitted they had driven while feeling fatigued; even more frightening, 37% admitted having fallen asleep at the wheel at least once.  One in every three drivers?

How do you stay awake at the wheel?  Stimulants such as caffeine cannot keep you awake for the long haul.  The first and best solution to avoid driver fatigue is to get enough sleep.  Sounds simple, but in fact, as we all know, very few of us get the recommended amount of sleep on a regular basis.  Get plenty of sleep, and get enough sleep for the road trip you are about to take. 

Don’t drive when you’re tired, and you will not be forced to figure out how to stay awake at the wheel.  Recognize that you are tired, and not fit to drive.  You may think that being tired is not a danger like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or driving while distracted by passengers or cell phones, or you may even think that you can keep awake – but you will not find out that you are wrong until it’s too late.

Even with enough sleep, it is possible that the monotony of a long drive will cause drowsiness.  Plan to stop to take a break every 100 miles or so, or every two hours.  Get out of the vehicle at a rest stop or service area and stretch or walk around, even briefly.

If possible, take a passenger with you.  Having someone else in the car can be tremendously helpful in maintaining alertness as you converse, and passengers tend to keep an eye out for a drowsy driver.

This article is provided by Orlando car accident attorneys, Florida’s The Umansky Law Firm, 407-599-3838, www.orlandoautoaccidentlaw.com.

Umansky Law Firm
1945 East Michigan Street
Orlando, Florida 32806