There are many mistakes people can make that increase their risk of a crash. Choosing to read and respond to a text message is a common driving error. Getting behind the wheel after drinking or using prescription medication is another.
Driving while tired is also quite common. Exhaustion has a direct negative impact on driving capabilities. People who are excessively tired struggle to stay focused and to make good decisions. They may also have longer reaction times because of their fatigue.
As if all of that weren’t enough reason for concern, drivers can also potentially fall asleep at the wheel. Dozing off while driving is dangerous, as motorists can lose control of their vehicles. How likely is it that a driver asleep at the wheel might cause a crash?
Falling asleep while driving is common
Despite being clearly dangerous, falling asleep at the wheel is a somewhat regular occurrence. Research that relied on self-reported data showed that one in 25 drivers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel within the 30 days prior.
Some of those motorists had multiple incidents where they fell asleep at the wheel. In other words, as many as 4% of all drivers have lost consciousness while driving at least once within the last month.
Many times, drivers hit the rumble strip, or a passenger helps rouse them when they doze off unexpectedly. Unfortunately, falling asleep for even a few seconds can be enough to cause a preventable motor vehicle collision.
Proving fatigue can be a challenge
Sometimes, drivers who cause crashes readily admit to the circumstances that caused the collision. They might tell the other people or the police officer putting together the crash report that they dozed off after a back-to-back double at work.
Others hope to avoid responsibility by downplaying their contributions to the crash. The unfortunate reality for those affected by fatigued drivers is that proving they were drowsy at the wheel is difficult in many cases.
There might be witnesses or traffic camera footage that can prove they were asleep. There could also be employment records that help affirm allegations that they were too tired to safely drive.
In many cases, those affected by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel need to focus on showing they did something unsafe, not necessarily that they fell asleep. Swerving into oncoming traffic or losing control of a vehicle can make a driver liable for any crash that results.
Reviewing the situation that led to a serious car crash may help the people affected hold the driver at fault accountable. Those who fall asleep at the wheel may need to provide insurance coverage or may be subject to personal injury lawsuits after causing crashes.