Asleep at the Wheel Auto Accident Lawyer in KY | Drowsy Driving Car Accidents
Driving a car or truck can be dangerous enough as it is, and riding a motorcycle is even more dangerous. Distracted driving receives most of the attention these days due to the universal popularity of smartphones, but there is another, very dangerous cause of highway accidents: drowsy drivers and falling asleep at the wheel.
Drowsy driving creates huge risks for the driver and others on the road. It can cause a delay in reflexes that result in a rear end car accident, overcorrection that sends a car off the road or into the oncoming lane. The driver can either intentionally or accidentally make a lane change while not seeing a car or motorcycle in the blind spot. The list goes on.
The CDC estimates that there are up to 6,000 fatal car crashes each year caused by drowsy drivers. That’s over 16 deaths per day!
The CDC lists common profiles of drowsy drivers to include:
- Individuals with little sleep
- Commercial drivers, such as tractor trailer trucks and buses
- Long shift workers or night shift workers
- Individuals with sleep apnea
- Drivers who take medication that causes drowsiness
Injuries resulting from these accidents can range from minor to catastrophic and even fatal. They include:
- Broken bones
- Catastrophic injuries
- Death
- Ligament and joint injuries
- Whiplash
- Neck and back injuries
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Semi Truck Driver Fatigue is the Most Dangerous
The most dangerous accidents are caused by semi truck drivers. This is not only due to the sheer mass of a tractor trailer, but also due to the long shift nature of long-haul truckers in an industry that is struggling to provide enough drivers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires that commercial truck drivers take a mandatory break for truck drivers after 8 hours. They treat driver fatigue as one of the biggest risks in the trucking industry, and a commercial driver would get more points taken off his license for fatigued driving than he would if he was drunk behind the wheel.
In 2015 with a Dec 2017 deadline for compliance, the FMCSA mandated the use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) that electronically track a driver’s compliance with the Hours of Service (HOS). The goal of this was to reduce the incidents of fatigued driving and increase highway safety.
While there isn’t enough data available to conclusively show the results, the risks and dangers have not gone away. In fact, according to a Business Insider article exploring the impact of ELDs on the trucking industry, it may put drivers at increased risk.
The mandatory ELD regulation reduced the total miles a truck driver could drive a week, and truckers get paid by the mile. Many of the older, more experienced drivers decided to go looking for work elsewhere instead of taking a pay cut. This means fewer experienced drivers on the road and a rise in younger low-experience drivers on the road.
What’s worse, as one trucker told Business Insider, it is causing an increase in reckless driving.
"The electronic logs are supposed to make it safer, but really it has created a hazardous race to beat the clock," Manley told Business Insider. "Drivers are now more reckless than ever trying to make it to their destination before the clock runs out with the mandatory breaks and such."
Only time will tell if the ELD mandate increases or decreases total fatalities in crashes involving commercial trucks, but the risks on the road are still very real.
Options for Victims of Driver Fatigue
If you or a loved one has been in an accident caused by a fatigued driver or a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, you can take legal action due to the fault of the other driver.
Typically, these cases include, but are not limited to, compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Long-term medical care
- Pain and suffering
There are more severe cases, including fatal crashes, which are more complicated, and that is where experience really matters.
FREE Case Evaluation with Experienced KY Injury Lawyer
The experienced Kentucky injury and auto accident lawyers at Dallas & Turner, PLLC, have extensive experience fighting to secure the compensation their clients deserve from insurance companies.
Whether a trucking accident, normal car or motorcycle accident, these cases are against the driver’s insurance company. Even if the asleep or fatigued driver is clearly at fault, insurance companies are not going to hand over money easily. They will use every trick in the book to minimize their financial liability.
We know how devastating these accidents can be to you and your family, and we want nothing more than to put our experience to work for you.
We offer FREE consultations, so that you and your family can discuss your case with experienced attorneys with zero financial pressure. We guarantee you will hear from an attorney within 24 hours.
Our attorneys don’t get paid until you do, because we want to ensure you can afford the representation you need to secure the compensation you deserve.
Don’t hesitate - call any time at (859) 630-0666, or email us using our FREE online contact form.
Let’s get started on your case today!
James Ryan Turner, Experienced Injury Lawyer in Florence, KY
"Drowsy drivers are dangerous, and when their drowsiness or falling asleep at the wheel hurts you or the ones you love, you need experienced help to go up against insurance companies. Call now, and we can begin the road to securing the compensation you deserve."
