We discussed earlier this week the dangers of being out on the roads when there are serious weather factors playing at safety, but what if there are other drivers doing the same? A recent study explored potential trends and reasons for people falling asleep while driving; and the findings might give cause for some Tennessee drivers to worry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted the study, released at the beginning of the year, and found that an average of 1 in 24 drivers had said they had fallen asleep at the wheel. This dangerous slumber reportedly happens more frequently among such groups as those who do not get enough sleep throughout the night – less than six hours, specifically. It was also reported that the total number of accidents resulting in a fatality that involve a driver who nodded off may not be certain, but could be anywhere from 3 percent to 33 percent.
Tennessee drivers who have been involved in an accident due to another driver falling asleep likely know how dangerous that can be. It is mentioned that if someone is traveling at 60mph, for every second the driver is not paying attention, they cover some 88 feet of road. The kind of impact that a car going that fast could have on another car is enough to cause serious damage.
For someone who has gone through such an ordeal as a car accident due to distracted driving, understanding how to move forward could be very helpful. Working with a Tennessee car accident attorney could help a victim of such an accident to know how their insurance, possible compensation and medical expenses may turn out due to the crash.
Source: boston.com, “CDC: 1 in 24 admit nodding off while driving,” Mike Stobbe, Jan. 3, 2012