Drowsy driving may sound harmless, but it is considered extraordinarily dangerous and can result in criminal charges and civil lawsuits. In many states, motorists who are too tired to operate their vehicles safely can be charged with reckless driving – a serious charge with heavy consequences. A skilled attorney from www.NotDrunk.com can launch a proven defense strategy designed to protect the driver’s rights and minimize repercussions.

Drowsiness behind the wheel isn’t just a problem that plagues long-haul truckers – it can strike anyone at any time. Because sleepy drivers pose great danger to themselves, passengers, and others on the road, police are increasingly enforcing laws related to overly fatigued drivers.

Drivers who are overly tired have impaired reaction time, lowered information-processing skills, and less ability to pay attention while driving. Unfortunately, these drivers are sometimes unable to resist falling asleep behind the wheel. Drowsiness and the accompanying impairment of the driver’s physical and mental faculties can lead to collisions.

Unlike drunk driving, no objective, measurable standards for drowsy driving exist. However, accidents caused by overtired drivers often have some or all of the following characteristics:

• The crash occurs during late night, early morning or midafternoon.
• The collision occurs on a high-speed roadway
• The driver makes no attempt to avoid the accident
• The motorist is alone in the vehicle
• The impact is severe
• The accident involves a single vehicle

All of us have the basic biological need for sleep. Just one night of wakefulness or poor-quality sleep can severely impact a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. Drivers who consistently lose even a few hours of sleep every night often suffer from chronic fatigue.  Unfortunately, there is only one cure, and it doesn’t require a doctor’s prescription: Sleep is the only truly effective way to reduce drowsiness.

Several studies have found that certain factors increase the chances for a collision caused by a drowsy driver. Two or more of these factors in combination substantially increases crash risk. They include:

• Sleep loss
• Driving between midnight and 6 a.m., driving many miles each day or each year, driving for long periods of time without a break, and driving in the midafternoon hours, especially for older persons.
• Using certain medications, including hypnotics, some antidepressants, and certain antihistamines
• Untreated sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
• Use of alcohol, which interacts with and adds to drowsiness.

Studies done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that three population groups have greater susceptibility to driving while drowsy. They are:

• Shift workers who work at night or who have long or irregular hours.
• People with untreated sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and narcolepsy.
• Young people ages16 to 29, especially young men.

There are ways to avoid the dangers of drowsy driving – getting sufficient amounts of sleep, avoiding even small quantities of alcohol when sleepy, and, if possible, staying off the road between midnight and 6 a.m. can all reduce the risk of a drowsy driving accident.

It’s critically important to stop driving whenever a motorist becomes sleepy. An overtired driver should allow a passenger to drive or stop to get some sleep. Taking a short nap and/or drinking coffee or another caffeinated beverage can help, but these are short-term solutions. The only truly safe course of action is to get sufficient sleep.