Drowsy Driving a Common Factor in Injury Accident Claims, Research Finds

Everyone knows how dangerous it can be to drive while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t strongly condemn drunk driving. However, our culture is still a long way from realizing the dangers involved in another common driving behavior: drowsy driving. A newly-released study provides even more evidence that drowsy driving is a dangerous and potentially-lethal behavior. Learn about the recent study below, and contact a skilled Poughkeepsie personal injury attorney if you’ve been hurt in a New York drowsy driving crash in the Hudson Valley.

Video footage of drivers used to study involvement of drowsiness in crashes

It isn’t easy to determine when drowsiness is a factor in a crash. While law enforcement may be able to identify signs of drowsy driving when following a driver on the road, these signs are similar to those of intoxication, but they can’t be tested for with a chemical test. This is the reason federal statistics report that only 1% to 2% of all crashes nationwide are caused by drowsy driving, despite many safety experts thinking the true figure is much higher.

In order to learn more about the influence drowsiness has on causing crashes, a group of researchers at the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety used video footage taken of drivers who participated in a study where they consented to be filmed while driving. Specifically, the researchers looked frame-by-frame at the last few seconds of footage in cars where the drivers were involved in accidents to see if they could identify signs that the drivers had been drowsy before a crash.

Many injury accidents influenced by drowsiness

The researchers found that over 9% of all drivers involved in accidents exhibited signs of drowsiness in the seconds before an accident, and that over 10% of all drivers involved in accidents that caused major property damage or physical injuries appeared drowsy before a crash. New York drivers who choose to get or remain behind the wheel after realizing that they are dangerously drowsy may face liability in court for accidents they cause while driving drowsy.

If you or a loved one is injured by a New York Hudson Valley drowsy driving accident, find out whether you’re entitled to money damages as a result of your accident by contacting the dedicated and effective Poughkeepsie personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Taran M. Provost, PLLC for a free consultation at 845-675-3243, with an additional office in Mahopac.