Drivers should always ensure that they’re in the proper mental and physical shape to operate a vehicle before they get behind the wheel. One way they can do this is to be sure they’re not fatigued when they get on the road.
Fatigued driving can stem from multiple things, including lack of sleep, certain medications, driving when the body expects sleep and some medical conditions. Regardless of the cause of the fatigue, the results can be catastrophic.
Why is driving while fatigued dangerous?
A person who’s fatigued is prone to dozing off, which is known as a microsleep. Even short microsleeps leave the vehicle without being properly controlled for considerable distances. Consider this: A vehicle can travel a football field length in just five seconds if it’s moving at a speed of 55 miles per hour. That’s a long enough distance for the vehicle to crash.
Another issue is that a lack of sleep can produce results similar to impairment. By the time a person has gone 20 hours without sleep, they have effects similar to that of a person who has a blood alcohol concentration of .08%, which is legally impaired.
Fatigued drivers can cause wrecks that lead to significant injuries, which can be costly for the victims. They may opt to pursue a compensation claim to help cover the financial damages associated with the crash. This must be done within a timeframe established by law, so it may be beneficial for them to work with someone familiar with these matters.