Drowsy Driving: Nobody Likes It, Too Many Do It
At some point, most drivers have driven drowsy. A recent study revealed that few motorists approve of drowsy driving, but too many drive that way.
The Automobile Association of America (AAA) conducts an annual survey about the American driving culture and motorist habits. This year, AAA notes the most appropriate statement about motorist safety with regard to driving drowsy is “do as I say, not as I do.”
Findings from the 2013 study released by AAA include:
- Approximately 94 percent of drivers surveyed believe driving on the verge of falling asleep is dangerous and unacceptable. Most motorists believe fellow drivers in their area believe and feel the same way. About eight in 10 drivers feel those who drive drowsy are a danger to themselves and others. These findings indicate a strong belief in the danger of driving fatigued.
- In the same survey, one in four drivers admitted to driving drowsy enough in the last 30 days to have difficulty keeping their eyes open as they drove. Almost 20 percent reported they drove drowsy more than once, and two percent noted they drove fatigued routinely.
Driving drowsy limits visual perception, decreases decision-making abilities and increases reaction time. Fatigue often plays a part in fatal truck accidents. In any vehicle, driving drowsy is driving impaired. If injured by someone asleep at the wheel, talk to reputable legal counsel in Des Moines.
