Fatigued driving may have disastrous consequences. A tired driver will lose their concentration, take their eyes off the road, forget what they was doing, and and may even lose control of their car. In fact, fatigued driving is a larger problem than governmental experts will lead you to believe.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) commissioned a study to determine how prevalent fatigued driving is in car crashes throughout America. AAA concluded that 21 percent of all fatal crashes involved fatigued driving. Not surprisingly, nearly 33 percent of all accidents nationally can be attributed to fatigued driving.
AAA ascribed this frequency to drivers who underestimated the effect that driving while tired has on the driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. The President of AAA described driving while fatigued “risky” behavior.
South Carolinians follow the national trend and drive while tired. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety’s 2012 Traffic Collision Fact Book, 632 of all of the accidents in South Carolina in 2012 were caused by fatigued drivers. Out of those 632, there were four fatalities and 342 injuries caused by a fatigued driver. This number is probably higher, as AAA concluded in its recent study, because it is difficult to determine if a driver was driving while fatigued due to lack of scientific testing available, compared to testing for alcohol or drug use.
Fatigued drivers exhibit behaviors similar to those who are operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A tired driver, according to AAA, will swerve off of the road or fail to stay within marked lanes because the driver’s head is bobbing up and down or because the driver is yawning frequently. Additionally, the fatigued driver’s vision may become blurred. The tired driver tends to lose concentration as well.
Loss of concentration while driving results in the tired driver failing to obey traffic laws, failing to obey signs, accidentally tailgating, or forgetting the last few miles of travel. The tired driver allows his or herself to easily become distracted and that makes a tired driver a dangerous driver.
Age plays a factor in who is more likely to drive while fatigued. AAA analysis revealed that fatigued driving is more prevalent among young adults, aged 19 to 24 years. Approximately 33 percent of young adults admitted to driving drowsy. Overall, 28 percent of the individuals surveyed in AAA’s study admitted to driving while fatigued within the month prior to being interviewed for the survey. On average, slightly more than one out of every four drivers admitted that they drove with the higher risk of harming themselves, passengers, fellow motorists, and pedestrians.
Injury Attorneys Know the Risks Fatigued Drivers Take
If you or someone you love was injured or killed by a fatigued driver, call The Solomon Law Group today at 803-219-8870 to schedule your free consultation. Our experienced team of Columbia, SC car accident lawyers will fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve. Call us now so we can start making a difference for you.
