The Dangers of Driving While Sleepy in Mississippi

Most people are well aware of the dangers of driving while intoxicated or driving while distracted, but researchers have found that driving while very tired can also increase the risk of being in a crash. According to a report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, people who have slept for only five or six hours in a 24-hour time period are two times as likely to be in an accident as individuals who got at least seven hours of sleep.

The less sleep that an individual has gotten, the greater the risk for a car crash. Those who have had less than four or five hours of sleep are four times as likely to get into an accident; these numbers are close to being on par with the rate of accidents for drunk drivers.

It’s not just recent data that shows the dangers of driving while drowsy. Research has found that about a fifth of accidents are believed to involve a fatigued driver. Even a short amount of sleep can help to increase people’s awareness on the road if they haven’t gotten enough rest. The director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research for AAA says that a 20-minute nap can help improve a person’s ability to drive safely.

Individuals who are involved in car accidents will often face a variety of expenses. If someone was injured, medical bills can add up quickly, and people may also lose time at work as they recover A lawyer could help someone work with an insurance company to ensure that they are compensated appropriately for any expenses related to a crash.