Driver Fatigue May Be to Blame for Highway 77 Crash
In late September, three individuals were hurt in a crash with an 18-wheeler. Representatives from the Texas Department of Public Safety noted that the car driver edged off the road onto the shoulder and slammed into the side of the truck directly between the trailer and truck. The truck was moving at 55 miles per hour while officials suspect the car was moving at 75 miles per hour. The early-morning crash, according to officials on the scene, is believed to have been caused by driver fatigue. Accidents like this one can lead to major injuries and personal injury litigation. Drowsy driving is linked to 100,000 car crashes every year, including 71,000 injured individuals and 1,500 fatalities.
Earlier this year, Texas adopted a House Resolution making up-11-6>th to up-11-12>th “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week”, with the goal of educating citizens across the state about the dangers of operating a vehicle while tired. Crashes related to fatigue tend to be more severe for victims since tired drivers fail to brake at all before the collision occurs. Driving while tired makes drivers less likely to react quickly, impairs their ability to make decisions quickly, and makes a driver less prepared and attentive overall.
Those individuals who use sedating medications, commercial drivers, and shift workers are those most likely to be drowsy drivers. Spotting a drowsy driver can be difficult, since they may only fall asleep for a few seconds at a time. If you spot a driver who is frequently headed toward the rumble strip, drifting around the lanes, or shifting from extremely slow to moderate speed, these are all signals that you should consider moving ahead and possibly contacting authorities.
Driving drowsy can lead to major accidents and serious victim injuries or fatalities. Have you suffered damages or injuries because of a drowsy driver? Contact a Texas car accident attorney today.
