Legal Advice for Victims of Fatigued Drivers

The statistics on the number of crashes caused by drivers who are sleep deprived are staggering and heart breaking.

Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports:

  • Every year at least 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue and result in thousands of deaths and injuries and more than $12 billion paid out in losses
  • There is no way to test a driver’s level of fatigue like Breathalyzers do for drinking and driving
  • Some crashes caused by drowsiness are attributed to other factors like distracted driving

Other studies report that most Americans admit to driving when they are tired or even falling asleep at the wheel. Those most likely to cause car accidents due to fatigue include:

  • Shift workers
  • Drivers who drive long distances
  • Teen drivers
  • Elderly drivers who are tired in the afternoon

The crashes often involve only one vehicle and occur on long stretches of highway. If you are a passenger in a one vehicle crash caused by a “drowsy driver” you may be entitled to compensation by their insurance company.

Fatigued drivers also cause tragic multi-car crashes, sometimes by failing to brake in time or by swerving into another lane.

If you have been hurt in a car accident caused by drivers who are sleep deprived, you should insurance adjusters and definitely before signing any documents.

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