The “always on the go” culture that’s so common in this country is just a fact of life for many people. Those individuals may not realize that staying busy in that manner takes a significant toll on their body and mind.
One area of daily life that can suffer significantly when a person doesn’t get enough rest is driving. Going too long without sleep can have effects on a person’s ability to drive that are similar to those of someone who’s intoxicated. For example, if someone goes 20 hours without sleep and drives, they have the same effects as a person with a blood alcohol concentration of .08%, which is legally impaired.
Microsleeps are another significant issue
Another problem that comes with fatigued driving is the risk of dozing off. These periods are often only a few seconds and are known as microsleeps, but even falling asleep for that short period can lead to catastrophic injuries.
Assuming that a driver dozes off for five seconds while they’re driving 55 miles per hour, their vehicle will move the equivalent of a standard football field before they wake up. During that period, they can strike other vehicles or objects. When the driver awakens, they may take knee-jerk corrective actions that can also be problematic.
Fatigued driving crashes can lead to catastrophic injuries for innocent victims, which can result in expensive medical care. They may opt to pursue a compensation claim to help cover those financial damages. This must be done within a specific time period because of the state’s statute of limitations. It may be best to work with someone who can assist with this process since it can be intensive and complex.