Many in the Bronx would agree we live in a 24/7 society, especially when it comes to our jobs. We may work double shifts, third shift or simply work many hours beyond the traditional nine-to-five workweek. All of this extra work, however, can lead to drowsy driving, especially if a driver does not get the recommended seven hours of sleep a night.
Causes of drowsy driving
There are many reasons a driver could become drowsy. Drowsiness can occur if a driver is awake for many hours in a row or did not get enough sleep for several days. Driving overnight or in the early morning hours can also cause drowsiness. Performing monotonous tasks can cause drowsiness. Finally, certain over-the-counter medications and prescription medications list drowsiness as a side effect. These are only some examples of the many ways a motorist could become drowsy.
Drowsy driving accidents
If a driver is drowsy, they could fall asleep behind the wheel and cause a car crash. If this happens, the accident victim may be left with significant medical bills, lost wages if they cannot work due to their injury as well as pain and suffering. For this reason, many drowsy driving accident victims choose to file a personal injury lawsuit against the drowsy driver based on negligence.
There are several elements to a negligence claim. First, there must be a duty of care. All motorists are tasked with the duty to drive reasonably under the circumstances. Second, there must be a breach of this duty. Falling asleep while driving and crashing into another vehicle can be seen as a breach of a driver’s duty of care. Third, the breach must have caused the victim’s damages and the resulting damages must be a foreseeable consequence of the breach. Finally, the victim must have suffered quantifiable and compensable damages.
Drowsy driving accidents can occur at any time of the day. This means that at any point you could be sharing the road with a drowsy driver. If you are in a car accident caused by a drowsy driver, you will want to make sure you understand all your legal rights and options so you can make decisions that are in your best interests.