The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that at least 633 people were killed in drowsy driving accidents in 2023. Over 91,000 police-reported crashes occurred in another recent year. However, safety experts believe this number is underestimated because the at-fault driver might not want to disclose they were negligent or they might not survive to tell their tale.
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident due to someone else’s negligence, you should learn about your legal rights and options for pursuing financial compensation. An experienced San Antonio car accident attorney from our personal injury law firm can discuss your situation during a free case review.
Drowsy driving is often compared to drunk driving. Both forms of careless driving slow reflexes and reaction times, lead to distraction and inattention behind the wheel, decreases alertness, impairs decision making, leads to risky or reckless driving, causes drivers to miss road signs, signals, and other important information while driving, decreases the ability to effectively multi-task, causes blurred vision, and impairs hand-eye coordination. After 20 hours without sleep, the effects of drowsiness on a driver are similar to those of someone with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that missing one to two hours of sleep a night corresponded to double the risk of being involved in a crash, and getting fewer than five hours of sleep doubled the risk again.
All drivers have a duty of care to operate their vehicles in a safe manner and avoid behaviors that endanger others. Driving while tired or beyond one’s physical capabilities may be a breach of that duty, which could expose tired drivers to liability in the event they cause a crash.
Drowsy and fatigued driving are such a public safety concern in the trucking industry that the federal government has imposed limits on how many hours a truck driver can drive before they are required to take a break. Truck drivers who break these rules and the trucking companies that hire them can be held liable for resulting accidents.
Because Texas is an at-fault state for car accidents, you’ll have to prove the drowsy driver was responsible for causing the accident to recover compensation. You may be able to do this with evidence such as:
An experienced San Antonio injury lawyer can investigate your case and gather evidence to help prove it.
You shouldn’t have to pay the consequences of someone else’s careless decision to drive while drowsy or fatigued. The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC can guide you through the legal process of pursuing compensation and provide the support you need during this challenging time. Call our San Antonio drowsy driving accident attorneys today for a free consultation.
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