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Fatigued driving is as dangerous as drunk driving

On Behalf of | Jul 2, 2020 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Many humans tend to push themselves as far as they can before taking a step back to rest. While this seems normal to most people, it is something that can be dangerous if a driver doesn’t get enough sleep before they get behind the wheel. Fatigue can have the same impacts as drinking alcohol on a driver.

It’s imperative that all drivers get ample sleep prior to their trip, even if it is only running errands in town. Some individuals might not notice how the fatigue is impacting them right away. It can cause symptoms like heavy eyelids, problems focusing and issues with memory. A fatigued driver might not remember part of their drive, and they may yawn constantly.

A person who has gone 18 hours without sleep experiences the same effects as a person who has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .05%, which is just shy of the .08% that’s considered legally intoxicated. By 24 hours without sleep, the impact is the same as what a person with a BAC of .10% experiences.

There aren’t any tricks or tips that will help a fatigued person to magically become aware enough to drive. Any driver who is showing signs of it should pull over and get rest before continuing on unless they can get someone to take over driving.

For victims of fatigued driving wrecks, the cost is often considerable. Not only do they have to deal with the physical impacts of the crash, they also need to work on the mental effects. In some cases, the cost is another consideration. They may opt to pursue a claim for compensation to recover some of the financial damages.