In the changing world we live in, where our schedules including working remotely have been interrupted and perhaps permanently changed there are serious growing concerns for tired drivers, sleepy drivers, fatigued drivers, and drowsy drivers. People are trying segmented sleep to try to adapt to the changes in lifestyle. Before the industrial revolution when there were no motor vehicles, this may have been a common practice. However, segmented sleep presents a danger for operators of motor vehicles and machinery. You should pay attention to the National Sleep Foundation recently update sleep recommendations based on your age group in the pictogram above.
Is when a some people choose to breakup their sleep into segments of the day or night. In other words, instead of going to sleep continuously they choose to sleep a few hours and wake a few hours throughout the 24 hour day. There is a lot of people suggesting this may be the way to handle sleep in a changing fast paced world. However, there are some risks associated with segmented sleep you need to know to protect yourself and the public. Recognizing your bodies sleep limitations and the signs of sleepiness can go a long way being able to take steps to recharge so you don’t fall asleep behind the wheel.
Drowsy driving is as much of a safety risk as drunk driving or texting and driving. Study show that being awake for 20 to 21 hours and then getting behind the wheel is comparable to having a blood alcohol level of about .08 percent, the legal drunk driver limit in most states. If you’re haven’t slept for 24 hours and then try to drive, you’re at a blood alcohol equivalent of 0.1 percent, which is higher than the legal drunk driving limit in all 50 states.
You are at risk for drowsy or sleepy driving if you get less than six hours of sleep at night. Another risk factor is snoring due to the interrupted sleep cycle. If you are in the group of people who snore, you are also at higher risk for drowsy driving because snoring is a sign of sleep apnea and interrupted sleep cycle.
In 2009, an estimated 730 deadly motor vehicle accidents involved a driver who was either sleepy or dozing off, and an additional 30,000 crashes that were nonfatal involved a drowsy driver. Accidents involving sleepy drivers are more likely to be deadly or cause injuries, in part because people who fall asleep at the wheel either fail to hit their brakes or veer off the road before crashing.
You probaby have seen groggy drivers often turn up the radio or roll down the window for fresh cool air to stay awake, but those measures don’t really work, according to sleep experts. Coffee or a caffeinated drink may help some, but most drivers don’t get much of an effect to help them stay awake. Bottom line, best advice to take is, if you find yourself sleepy at the wheel: Pull over for a quick power nap.
A tired brain is not a able to make good decisions, and people who are sleep deprived make more mistakes than those who sleep enough. The American Insomnia Survey, showed an estimated 274,000 workplace accidents occur directly related to sleep problems. The price tag for these sleep-deprived mistakes on the job? $31 billion each year.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident with a suspected sleepy or fatigues driver, call the car accident specialist at the Joseph Dedvukaj law firm for no obligation free consultation to learn about your rights and what you need to do next.
Contact us 24/7 for a free no obligation consultation at 248-352-2110 or toll free 1-866-477-3563 (1-866-HIRE-JOE).
