Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
A new study reveals that sleepy drivers are just about at the same risks as drunk drivers.
That’s right. According to a recent letter that was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, drivers who were either sleepy or drunk behind the wheel were about twice as likely to be responsible for a car accident in Boston and elsewhere in comparison to those who were well rested behind the wheel.
“We know from experimental studies that just four hours of sleep loss will produce as much impairment as a six pack,” said researcher Christopher Drake.
Our Boston car accident lawyers understand there’s a lot more traffic on our roadways during this time of the year. With all of this traffic come higher risks for traffic accidents.
One of the most important things you can do is to make sure that you’re well-rested and alert at the wheel. Officials report that there are about 100,000 car accidents that are the fault of drowsy drivers every year. The number is expected to actually be much higher as most drivers will fail to admit they were drowsy at the time of an accident.
Officials with the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Michigan conducted the study and looked at accident reports from nearly 680 drivers who were hospitalized from 2007 to 2009. Researchers looked at the reports and looked for the cause of the accident — looking for evidence that they were under the influence of alcohol, what drugs or medications they were on and how sleepy they were before the accident.
Reports and analysis concludes that it was our young drivers and our male drivers who were most likely to be involved in these kinds of accidents. Most of the drivers were men who were under the age of 55. More than half of these drivers were riding on motorcycles, about a third were in a car and another 10 percent were on a bicycle when the accident happened, according to Reuters.
The conclusion that researchers drew was that there is absolutely no substitute for sleep. It’s suggested that you nap before hitting the road if you’re taking a road trip. If you’ve already started your journey and you start to feel sleepy, you’re urged to stop and take a nap. You can also try to drink some coffee, but you have to remember to allow it some time to kick in and that its effect will wear off after a while.
Take care of yourself and help to prevent a potentially fatal accident. Make sure you are well-rested before you get behind the wheel regardless of how short or long your trip may be. There’s no use in pushing through your sleepiness. Get some rest!
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident in Boston or elsewhere throughout the area, contact Boston Injury Attorney Jeffrey S. Glassman. Our firm offers free and confidential appointments to discuss the rights of victims. Call 877-617-5333 today to schedule your free appointment.
More Blog Entries:
Fatal Car Accidents in Boston and Elsewhere on the Rise in 2012, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, May 17, 2012