Drivers must ensure that they’re in good mental condition to operate the vehicle safely. One thing that can negatively impact their ability to do this is drowsiness. When someone is overly fatigued, they don’t have the focus they need to drive.
Lack of sleep is one of the most common causes of fatigued driving. If a driver goes 20 hours without sleep and drives, the effects are similar to that of a person who’s legally intoxicated. Fatigue can also come from other causes, such as medical conditions, medications and driving at a time they’d normally be asleep.
Why is fatigued driving dangerous?
Fatigued driving can lead to the driver having microsleeps while they drive. These are short periods of sleep that last five seconds or longer. Even a five-second microsleep can have harrowing effects.
A vehicle can go 100 yards in that short period if the driver is going 55 miles per hour. That means the vehicle didn’t have adequate control for the full length of a football field. Major crashes can occur in that distance, especially on busy roads.
Victims of fatigued driving crashes can suffer from significant injuries, particularly at higher speeds. Those injuries can require considerable medical care, which can be costly. Catastrophic injuries may also mean the victim can’t return to work or may need to work less than normal. Seeking compensation is often possible in these situations, but it must be done swiftly because of time limits that are set by law.