Ohio residents might be alarmed to hear about a woman who was involved in a drowsy driving accident. She was on her way to a friend’s house in the middle of the night, and she recounted feeling drowsy before she started driving. However, she stated that she never thought she’d fall asleep while driving, but she did. Consequently, she was left laying a ditch for three and a half hours until help arrived.
The woman survived her accident. However, doctors told her that is unlikely if she will ever regain use of her arms and legs again. Although she is still uses a wheelchair, after intensive rehabilitation, she has regained use of her arms. Fortunately, she survived her drowsy driving accident, but numerous people each year don’t, and it raises awareness to an issue that some say is highly underreported. Numerous vehicle accidents that occur each year have no clear causes, and research shows that drowsy driving might have been a factor in the accidents. Authorities believe that in many cases, fatigue may have been the reason behind accidents, but fatigue remains highly unreported.
The effects of driving while sleepy can be much the same as those of driving while drunk, the National Sleep Foundation reports. However, preventative measures have been taken to help prevent the effects of drunk driving. For example, education courses have been launched to make people aware of the dangers, and rumble strips have been integrated into new infrastructure on roadways.
People who are injured in accidents involving drowsy drivers might be able to seek personal injury compensation from them. Personal injury lawyers could be able to help potential plaintiffs determine whether they have legitimate cases and then help them file their lawsuits if they do.
Source: AOL Auto, “Drowsy Driving Accident Highlights Danger Of Underreported Problem“, Michael Zak, September 11, 2013
