There’s no question that alcohol impairs people’s senses. People may feel a little tipsy after one drink, which can be great for socializing. After two or three drinks, people may experience blurred vision, focus impairment, poor muscle coordination and bad judgment.
As a result of alcohol, impaired drivers may cause auto accidents. Their blurred vision may cause them to misjudge the distance between cars or see pedestrians. They may speed, take illegal turns or not use turn signals. They may also not react in time to avoid accidents. In other words, everything people need to drive safely is impaired by alcohol.
This is why drunk driving is a traffic violation. Traffic laws are in place for the safety of others. However, there are no laws for drowsy drivers. Drowsy driving may be just as bad as drunk driving.
Falling asleep at the wheel is a real possibility
Many people leave work after long shifts without breaks. Many people leave their jobs late at night. Some people drive home in the morning after working night shifts. What do all of these people have in common? They’re driving while tired and exhausted.
Anyone can drive while drowsy, which can significantly increase the risk of accidents. Drivers who are sleep-deprived may experience similar symptoms to drunk drivers: focus, vision and judgment issues. Drivers may also have microsleeps, which occur when drivers fall asleep for a few seconds, drastically increasing the chance of auto accidents.
It’s estimated that nearly a thousand auto accidents occur because of drowsy drivers. However, it’s often hard to gauge whether drivers were drowsy at the time of fatal impacts.
You could experience an auto accident with a drunk or drowsy driver. If you’ve suffered injuries and losses, you may be able to seek compensation. Experienced legal guidance can help.
