A new study revealed that falling asleep while driving is an increasing problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently released the results of the largest survey on drowsy driving in America. 4.2% of adults questioned said that they had fallen asleep at least once within the prior 30 days.
The survey asked 147,086 people across 19 states about their sleep habits and driving habits. 18-44-year-olds were 3% more likely than respondents 65 and older to have fallen asleep at the wheel. While 3.2% of women admitted to falling while driving, 5.3% of men said the same.
The CDC has provided new evidence showing that drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. In 2011 in Texas alone, there were 136 fatal car accidents, 1,178 serious-injury crashes, 711 other injury accidents, and 2,101 non-injury crashes attributed to driver’s being fatigued or asleep at the wheel.
Texas lawyer, Don R. Colton, is pushing efforts to reduce car crashes due to drowseyness.
“No one, young or old, manned or woman, should be driving when they are so tired or drowsy that they are on the cusp of falling asleep,” says Colton, “… it is a risk that people should not take.”
Campaigns for public education about the dangers of driver fatigue are beginning. The National Sleep foundation, just put up the informative site: DrowsyDriving.org which contains educational materials, hand outs, event ideas, a teen/parent contract, among other resources.
Colton thinks while this information spreading will be helpful to some, it won’t be enough to stop the increasing danger. He suggests holding drowsy drivers accountable for their negligence by bringing accident suits against them.
If you have been the victim of a drowsy driving accident, and need representation to bring justice, and spread the news out about how dangerous drowsy driving can be, contact Utah Accident Attorneys Christensen & Hymas: 801-506-0800