While you have likely heard stories about drowsy driver accidents in New York, your primary concern on the road likely remains drivers whose impairment can actually be proven, such as those under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Yet have you ever contemplated just how impaired one becomes following several consecutive hours without sleep? Like drunk or drugged drivers, drowsy drivers may see their reaction times hindered dramatically, while the persistent blinking of their eyes and momentary moments of sleep diverts their attention from the road. By way of comparison, the National Sleep Foundation’s website DrowsyDriving.org reports that one who been awake for 18 straight hours can experience the same level of impairment as one whose blood-alcohol content is .08 percent.
While drunk driving remains a problem throughout the country, your chances of actually encountering a drunk driver on the road are slim compared those of meeting a drowsy driver in the same scenario. The reason being is that unlike drinking and driving, driving while drowsy does not carry with it the same social stigma. Even in cases where people do fall asleep behind the wheel, they often continue in the same activity and sleep patterns, dismissing the episode as a one-time fluke.
So, now that you are beginning to comprehend the threat that drowsy drivers can pose, how are you to spot them before they cause a drowsy driver accident in New York? Most drowsy driver accidents in New York happen in the late evening or early morning hours. Men are more likely to drive drowsy than other demographics, as are those involved in business travel. If you are in an accident where any of these factors are present, you may want to share your feelings with law enforcement officials in order for them to determine if the other driver may have been asleep at the wheel.
