The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety issued a wake up call for all drivers: drowsy driving is dangerous. Shockingly, more than a third of all drivers have reportedly fallen asleep behind the wheel of a vehicle at some point in their lives. In the past year alone, more than 1 in 10 admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel. Yet when asked, nearly 100% of drivers reported that they found drowsy driving unacceptable.

Drowsy driving is dangerous for everyone on Seattle’s roadways. The AAA Foundation found that drowsy drivers accounted for an estimated 12.5% of all fatal crashes or one out of every eight fatal crashes. In addition, young drivers are twice as likely to be involved as older drivers.

Being sleep deprived is a major contributor to all car crashes—not just fatal ones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that sleep deprived drivers are responsible for 100,000 car crashes every year across the United States. These accidents resulted in 1,550 deaths and over 70,000 injuries.

Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Driving:

Driving drowsy can impact driving in a number of ways, including:

• Slowed reaction time
• Decreased alertness
• Impaired decision making
• Increase in aggressive driving
• Using poor judgment
• Impaired vision
• Impaired hand-eye coordination

In order to prevent dangerous and deadly Seattle car accidents from occurring, it is important to recognize the signs of drowsiness before they begin to impact your driving. Then take the necessary safety precautions to ensure that you do not drive drowsy. This includes:

• Stopping the vehicle somewhere safely to rest for 20 minutes
• Stopping the vehicle at a nearby gas station for coffee, caffeine, or a quick but brisk walk
• Asking a passenger to take over driving for you
• If you are unable to stop the car (such as driving on a bridge) open the window to let fresh, cool air in the car.
• Consider stopping for the night at a hotel and resuming your travel the next day

Contact Seattle Car Accident Lawsuit Attorneys

If a drowsy driver injures you or someone you love, an experienced Seattle car accident attorney at Phillips Law Firm can help. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our Seattle personal injury lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.

The personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Firm have successfully represented injured individuals and their families in Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Auburn, Renton, Federal Way, Bellingham, Marysville, Lakewood, Redmond, Shoreline, and throughout the State of Washington.