Accident Most drivers have been in the position of feeling their eyelids start to droop as they struggle to stay awake while driving on the freeway.  Although it is extremely dangerous to drive when one is tired, drowsy driving is becoming increasingly frequent.  Those in New York and throughout the United States are working longer hours to make ends meet and getting less sleep at night. This means that when drivers are on the road they are often exhausted and struggle to stay awake and concentrate on the roadway.  Many drivers have had the experience of briefly dozing off only to wake up in a state of panic as their vehicle glides roughly over reflectors that separate lanes of traffic and desperately try to steer their vehicles back into your lane.

The growing frequency of auto accidents in New York caused by overly tired drivers is a product of a number of factors, including the general trend of people to get less sleep.  The lifestyle of most people in New York and in much of the United States involves working long hours followed by lengthy commutes.   When family and parenting obligations are fulfilled after getting home from work, this leaves little time for sleep. There has also been an increase in the number of sleep related disorders, such as sleep apnea because of the increasing number of people that are overweight.

The AAA foundation recently conducted a study that underlines the growing danger posed by sleepy drivers.  One in three drivers admitted to driving while extremely tired during the previous thirty day period.  These results were consistent with an earlier study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). The NSF study found that sixty percent of all drivers admitted driving while extremely sleepy for some time during the prior year.  This amounts to 168 million drowsy drivers putting other drivers at-risk on America’s roadways.  It is even more disconcerting that almost forty percent of drivers admit to having actually fallen asleep while driving.  The federal government has estimated that on a very conservative basis more than 100,000 car accidents are caused every year by tired and fatigued drivers.

One significant reason that we have not been particularly effective in addressing the problem of those who drive when overly tired is that it is not viewed with the same sense of moral outrage as drunk driving. Ironically, a recent study found that a driver who has gone 20 hours without sleep displays the same level of impairment as a driver whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is .08% (i.e. over the legal limit for DUI).

Exhausted drivers may experience a number of forms of impairment of their driving skills including:

  • Difficulty with concentration
  • Impaired judgment
  • Slow reflexes
  • Blurred or distorted vision
  • Micro-naps

These types of impairment on one’s driving ability can easily lead to devastating New York car crashes resulting in permanent life altering injuries or wrongful death.  The extent of the danger posed by this type of car accident is reflected by the fact that when these crashes are investigated there are often no skid marks.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a serious auto accident with an overtired driver, our experienced New York car accident lawyers at Cohen & Jaffe are prepared to provide effective and compassionate legal representation so that you can obtain the compensation you need to heal and move past your car accident in New York.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a New York car accident with a fatigued driver, the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe has effectively handled many car accident claims involving drowsy drivers throughout Nassau, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Suffolk.  We have collected millions for our clients and we can do the same for you.  We invite you to contact us at (516) 358-6900 so that we can advise you of your rights and options.