You may say that you would never drive under the influence of alcohol, but have you ever driven when you were feeling tired? Maybe you tried to stay awake into the early morning hours on a road trip, or maybe you felt exhausted in the morning while driving in to work. For most people, drowsy driving is relatively common – or, at least, something they have experienced before.
As such, it is important to note that drowsy driving is more dangerous than people realize and it is very similar to drunk driving. It can absolutely lead to serious car accidents, injuries and fatalities. Drivers who are too tired to operate their vehicles safely should refrain from driving at all, but many still get behind the wheel.
Why is it so dangerous?
One of the major issues with drowsy driving is that it affects reaction times. Your movements may be more sluggish. Your cognitive processing may be slower. When traffic changes on the road around you, it takes an extra second to react appropriately to those changes. This could easily lead to a rear-end accident or something of this nature.
In extreme situations, the clear risk of drowsy driving is that someone could nod off behind the wheel. This is especially common if alcohol has been involved. Someone who only had one drink may know that they are well under the legal limit, for example. But if they are also exhausted, the combination could be highly problematic and drastically increase the chances of a car accident. Two drinks can seem like six for someone who is sleep-deprived.
Even if you avoid drowsy driving, you could still be injured by another negligent driver. Take the time to look into all of your legal options carefully.