Many in Georgia may fall into the trap of thinking that the actions that can lead to potentially dangerous driving are very well-defined. By avoiding speeding, as well as not driving after having consumed alcohol or while using a cell phone, they may believe that they will always be safe behind the wheel. There are many other elements, however, that go into driving dangerously, many of which are seemingly mundane actions (or inactions) that go into daily living. One of the more common driving while drowsy.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as many as 72,000 crashes in the U.S. are attributed to drowsy driving annually. When one is drowsy behind the wheel, their physical capabilities can often be limited to the same extent as one who is intoxicated. Their depressed awareness (caused by their drowsiness) can make it difficult to maintain control of their vehicles, and also limit their response time if they need to act in order to avoid a collision.
The trouble with combating drowsy driving is that it is next to impossible to regulate the sleeping patterns of the general populations. Ignorance often contributes to people inadvertently driving drowsy. Despite the recommendations that people get seven to eight hours of sleep each night, many feel as though they can effectively function with less than that. This may the reason behind study results shared by the National Sleep Foundation show that 37 percent of Americans actually admit to having fallen asleep while driving.
Certain factors may indicate drowsiness as being a potential cause of a car accident. Collisions that occur in the late night or early morning hours are more likely to involve a sleepy driver, as are cases where a driver admits to working irregular hours or taking medication.
