Drowsy Driving Accident Lawyer In The Bronx
Help for You and Your Loved Ones After a Car Accident Caused by a Drowsy Driver
When people think of traffic accidents, they often imagine a drunk driver. Nowadays, they may also assume that someone involved was texting while driving. While intoxicated driving and distracted driving are certainly major causes of traffic accidents, they are not the only ways drivers negligently cause accidents. Drowsy driving is one of the leading causes of car crashes in New York and nationwide every year. Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, and it can be just as serious or deadly for innocent crash victims.
If a drowsy driver has injured you or someone you care about in the Bronx or across New York City, a passionate auto accident attorney at the Bronx offices of the Kohn Law Firm can help you. We will build your case and work toward maximizing your available damages, bringing your claim against insurance companies, negligent drivers, and anyone else who is standing in the way of you and your family getting the medical care and just compensation that you deserve.
Drowsy Driving is More Common Than You Think
If you have ever continued behind the wheel when you are too tired to drive, you are far from alone: As many as sixty percent of adults in the U.S. admit to having driven drowsy. The results are disastrous: Nationwide, around 100,000 traffic crashes result from drowsy driving every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drowsy driving kills more than 1,550 Americans each year and injures over 71,000 more.
Significantly, those are just the reported crash numbers; experts believe that many more crashes every year are connected to drowsy driving. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimated that closer to 328,000 drowsy driving crashes happen every year. One hundred nine thousand of those drowsy driving crashes involve injury, and as many as 6,400 are fatal. Drowsy driving is one of the most dangerous factors on U.S. roadways. If you believe you were injured in a drowsy driving accident, a seasoned New York drowsy driving accident lawyer can help you prove it. We will fight to ensure that you get the damages you deserve after your Bronx drowsy driving crash.
The Dangers of Drowsy Driving
Driving without proper sleep can be just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than driving while intoxicated. According to safety experts, sleep deprivation can have similar effects on the mind and body as consuming alcohol. Going without sleep can dull the senses, slow reaction times, cause blurry vision, and impact a driver’s ability to focus on the road.
In fact, experts estimate that being awake for 18 hours has a similar effect to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05. Driving after being awake for 24 hours straight is like driving with BAC of 0.10, well over the legal limit. Like intoxicated drivers, drowsy drivers are likely to miss road hazards, fail to brake or swerve when something appears in front of them, or nod off at the wheel and drift into oncoming traffic.
Signs of Drowsy Driving
If you are on the road at night, it is important to be vigilant for the signs of drowsy or intoxicated drivers. Whether you are a driver concerned about your own drowsiness, a passenger, or a motorist watching out for other drowsy drivers on the road, the more observant you are, the safer you are. Drivers should be aware of their own symptoms of drowsiness, including constantly yawning, bobbing their heads, trouble focusing, and forgetting the last stretch of road. If you find yourself experiencing symptoms of drowsiness, pull off to the side of the road or a rest stop, wherever you can safely do so, and take a break. If you can, take a 20-minute nap or get a cup of coffee.
Passengers and drivers watching out for other hazardous drivers should look out for drivers drifting onto the shoulder or into different lanes, failing to signal, sudden jerky movements and swerving, and inappropriate speeding up or slowing down. If you believe someone else on the road is driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or lack of sleep, call the authorities and report them. You may just save their life and the lives of other motorists.
Drowsy driving poses a danger to everyone on the road. If a drowsy driver has hurt you or someone you care about, a dedicated Bronx drowsy driver injury attorney can help you get the compensation and the justice you are owed.
Dedicated Advice and Representation After a Serious Bronx Drowsy Driving Traffic Accident
If a drowsy driver in New York has injured you, let us help you recover the compensation you’re owed. Contact the seasoned and effective Bronx drowsy driving accident lawyers at the Kohn Law Firm at 718-409-1200.
