Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC:
Personal Injury Attorneys & Car Accident Lawyers
Serving San Diego, California Since 1992

When people drive while they are tired, drowsy or sleepy, this is commonly referred to as driver fatigue or drowsy driving.  This is a major cause of car accidents, since drowsy drivers are unable to adequately perceive, react and respond to situations on the road.  In the United States alone, the National Sleep Foundation estimates that around 20% of car accidents may involve fatigued drivers, and 37% of drivers — polled in a 2003 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study — admitted that they had fallen asleep while driving a car.  The risk of auto accidents goes up at night as car driver fatigue becomes one of the major issues at hand.

As experienced car accident attorneys in San Diego, we know that many people drive when they have not had enough sleep.  At the Law Offices of Michael Pines, we have handled cases where truck drivers knowingly falsified their driving logs so that they are in conformance with rules posted by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT).  As these truck drivers are falsifying their logs, they are not getting enough sleep.  Once the truck driver falls asleep or is drowsy, he or she is asleep at the wheel of a 30-ton runaway truck going at 70 miles-per-hour.  Car accident attorney consumer groups want DOT to do more.  Instead of merely making regulations, we want DOT to enforce them with stiff penalties, as well. 

Fatigued car drivers often have a difficult time perceiving and processing information.  For instance, a driver may not recognize that he or she has drifted into the wrong lane until it is too late, and a serious car accident is inevitable.  Driver fatigue can also lead to reduced attention to the road as well as slower reaction rates.  In extreme cases, a driver may actually fall into microsleep and briefly lose consciousness on the road.  As car accident attorneys, we know that even a few seconds asleep on the road is the perfect formula for a wrongful death car accident or a wrongful death truck accident.

A number of symptoms can suggest driver fatigue, such as:

• Yawning
• Tired eyes
• Boredom
• Inability to remember the last segment of the road
• Restlessness
• Difficulty concentrating

Car drivers who notice one or more of these symptoms starting should pull over to rest and, ideally, get out of the car and stretch.  In more extreme cases of driver fatigue, however, the driver may need to pull over, take a nap and rest until the driver feels refreshed and ready to make the rest of the trip.  Many major highways provide rest stops for this purpose, and it is important to pull all the way off the highway to rest to avoid automobile accidents with your parked car.  As car accident lawyers, we believe it is very important for car drivers to learn auto accident prevention techniques against driver fatigue, for it may save tens of thousands of lives every year:

1. Do not drink and drive (DUI).

One major cause of fatigue is alcohol consumption.  Alcohol is a depressant so a car driver does not even have to be legally drunk to fall asleep at the wheel and cause a car accident.  One little drink is enough to induce drowsiness.  So before setting off on a long trip, do not drink at all.  If you cause a car accident, truck accident or any other type of auto accident resulting in personal injury, you could be charged with a crime of drunk-driving (DUI), lose valuable hard earned professional licenses and possibly even go to jail!

2. Get enough sleep the night before.

Without seven to eight hours of sleep the night before a long car trip, an automobile driver is just waiting for fatigue to cause a car accident. 

3. Try not to start a trip late in the day.

It is best to start about an hour after waking up and getting prepared.  This is the period of time when both your mind and your body are most alert.

4. If possible, carpool.

Try not to ride alone because passengers can take turns driving and serve as conversation partners to keep you alert and awake.  This is a great way to keep the car trip interesting and, at the same time, avoid an unnecessary car accident.

5. Avoid driving an automobile at night.

The glare of lights on the dashboard and along highway roads has been shown to induce hypnosis to some extent and therefore cause driver fatigue.  As car accident lawyers, we have handled cases where the glare of lights at night was exactly the cause of the driver fatigue car accident.  Had the car driver known this safety tip ahead of time, lives could have been saved.

6. Keep the automobile’s environment stimulating.

Turn the car’s temperature down and make it cold if necessary.  Also, turn the automobile’s radio volume up, switching stations frequently and avoiding slow soft music.  Do not use the car’s cruise control.  Try to make yourself feel involved when driving the automobile which is a great safety tip to avoid a terrible automobile accident.

7. Watch your body posture.

Keep your seat back upright, and make sure the car’s driver’s seat is forward enough to keep your legs from extending fully.  Also, keep head up and eyes staring straight ahead.

8. Take breaks or switch car drivers at least every two hours.

Stop at a gas station, rest stop or a fast food restaurant.  Get out, stretch and walk around.  Exercise fights fatigue.  Keeping your body cramped in the same position for a long time induces sleep, and thus a possible car accident that could have been avoided with this simple safety tip.  Also, stop for light meals and snacks.  Eating too much could make you drowsy, but not eating would drain your energy.

9. Wear good sunglasses.

Wearing sunglasses during the day keeps you from squinting.  As car accident lawyers, we believe squinting causes your eyes to get tired and want to close.  However, never wear sunglasses when it becomes dark.

10. If all else fails, stop driving!

If you cannot combat the fatigue, then do not try.  Safely pull off the road, and give in to fatigue.  Sleep it off.  It is better to be late than get in a terrible wrongful death car accident.

As auto accident attorneys, we understand the dangers of drowsy driving, and have handled numerous cases caused by driver fatigue.  Remember the safety tips above so you can meet your relatives in one piece.  Safe automobile driving requires the car driver’s full attention and focus.  If your eyelids start feeling heavy, your next action may very likely be a life-or-death decision.  These safety tips can hopefully help you avoid a car accident.

Call us now or click here for a FREE CONSULTATION with an experienced automobile accident attorney as to how we may help you at 1-800-655-6585.  We look forward to providing good advice to help you make smart decisions about your case.