Driver fatigue is a state of physical and mental exhaustion that reduces your ability to drive safely. It can impair your alertness, reaction time, decision-making, and concentration. It can also increase your risk of making errors or even falling asleep at the wheel.
At Flaxman Law Group, we have worked with many car collision survivors who have lost loved ones or who have sustained serious injuries in car crashes caused by someone who was simply too fatigued to drive safely.
In Cutler Bay and across South Florida, fatigued drivers are a serious risk on the roads. The trucking industry has recognized the dangers of tired drivers and requires truck drivers to limit hours on the road and keep updated logs of hours rested. For passenger car drivers, there are no such restrictions. For both truck drivers and passenger car motorists, fatigue contributes to 91,000 serious collisions yearly.
Front line workers have been making enormous efforts to keep us all safe during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hollywood and across Florida. Often at high risk to themselves, these workers in health care, transportation, and other essential services have been working hard to care for those affected by the novel coronavirus.
These front-line workers are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their workplace and the current shortage of personal protective equipment supplies, but they may also be more at risk for car accidents in Hollywood and their communities because:
Long drives in South Florida bring with them extra hazards. Whether you’re driving in Hollywood, Homestead, Miami, across the state, or across the country, the longer you drive the more at risk you are of mechanical breakdowns, fatigue, distractions, and other dangers.
Long drives are a part of life. You may take long trips for college, to see friends and family, to head on vacation, as part of a move, or for any number of reasons. When you hit the road, these tips can keep you safer behind the wheel:
With the clocks moving forward an hour this past week, this is a good time to have discussions about drowsy driving in Hollywood and across Florida. Daylight Savings Time is intended to make things more convenient by making sure we’re not heading to work and school in the dark during the winter months and it allows us to enjoy more sunshine in the spring and summer. However, that comes with a cost
Some experts believe the week after we adjust our clocks can mean an increase in traffic accidents as our bodies adjust to the new sleep schedule. For many Florida residents, setting the clocks forward an hour means going to bed at the same time and rising at the same time, which means an hour less of sleep, which is linked to slower response times and increased drowsiness.
A new study from the AAA has found that one out of ten car accidents may be linked to drowsy driving, making fatigued drivers more of a concern than many individuals thought. Previously, estimates had suggested only 1-2% of traffic collision were caused by drowsy drivers. The AAA study was more thorough than previous research, however, and included a larger pool of drivers examined.
The results of the AAA study come from following 3,500 drivers between 2010 and 2013. During the study period, the drivers under observation were involved in over 700 accidents and fatigued driving was found to be a factor in as many as 9.5% of the crashes. Over 10% of the crashes linked to serious results, such as injury or airbag deployment, were linked to drowsy driving.
Fatigued driving in Miami Beach and other South Florida communities is all too often the cause of serious accidents and collisions. Fatigued drivers can lose control of their vehicles and may even drift off behind the wheel. They can make poor judgements and have such poor motor control that their driving ability may be on par with that of drivers under the influence.
Unfortunately, many of us have busy lives and end up tired at least part of the time. So how can we avoid car crashes? Luckily, there are ways to ensure you stay alert on the road:
Are you feeling a little more sluggish today? Were you maybe more fatigued yesterday? For some, getting used to Daylight Savings Time takes a day or two. That makes this week a perfect time to discuss fatigued driving—a key safety topic on Hollywood and South Florida streets.
Although it is difficult to determine how many collisions are caused by fatigue—few at-fault drivers admit to being sleepy or recklessly driving when dangerously tired—the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that 100,000 or more crashes each year may be caused by tired drivers.
Every year, tens of thousands of Americans lose their lives in roadway accidents and tens of thousands of Hollywood and Florida drivers are injured in the state. While you might not be able to do much about the driving habits of those around you, there are things you can do to make 2016 the safest year ever for you as a driver.
Building new habits and setting new intentions for your driving can make you a stronger driver and can reduce your risk of an accident. Here are ten habits that can make you more confident and safer on the road:
Clocks have been turned back within the past week, but does that mean you’re more at risk of a car accident caused by fatigued driving? The reality is that switching clocks back even one hour can wreak havoc with your internal clock, cause insomnia, and can increase the likelihood of some types of accidents.
One problem is that internal clocks are not as easy to adjust as the clock on your mobile devices. Even though you may feel like you have adjusted well, you may be more fatigued than usual. You may especially be more fatigued in the mornings and in the evenings, since it gets darker sooner. If you do feel affected by the time change, consider giving yourself extra time to get work or leave the driving to someone else if you feel too fatigued to operate your car safely.
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