Drowsy Driving More Common Than Previously Reported

A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that 25,580 people died and many more were injured in 2012 auto accidents from January through September. Being prepared before an accident can enable a victim to obtain all the necessary information that will be helpful to their case.

Consulting a Clayton County attorney after an auto accident enhances a victim's ability to receive a reasonable settlement. If you have been injured in an automobile accident you should discuss your case with an accident attorney at Shane Smith Law.

According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), nearly 60 percent of licensed adult drivers had driven while drowsy within the 12-month period before the survey. Over one-third of adult drivers admitted to falling asleep while driving during the same period.

Perhaps most alarming was that nearly 15 percent of those who admitted to falling asleep while driving also said that they had fallen asleep while driving as often as once a month. Nearly 11 million people who participated in the survey reported that they were in an auto accident or a near-collision because they were fatigued or fell asleep while driving.

According to a study by the NHTSA, approximately 2 percent of 2011 traffic-related deaths were caused by a driver being tired or falling asleep while driving. Other NHTSA estimates indicated that drowsy driving was far more prevalent because most cases go unreported and police often do not indicate drowsiness in accident reports. One researcher estimated that 73 percent of all fatal accidents list drowsiness as a possible but unconfirmed accident cause.

In 2009, approximately 30,000 people were involved in auto accidents due to drowsy driving and 730 died, according to the NHTSA. The effects of drowsy driving include decreased reaction times, blurry vision and an inability to process emergency situations as quickly as needed.

If you or someone you know has been hurt in an auto accident, meet with a Clayton County auto accident lawyer at Shane Smith Law. We can obtain the relevant evidence including police reports.

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