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The evidence of drowsy driving is usually gone by the time a crash occurs, and few admit after an accident that, "They nodded off."  Experts agree that fatigue does not leave behind the same type of evidence that drunk and distracted driving does. However, drowsy driving is an equally lethal combination as are alcohol, speeding and distracted driving.

Senior Research Associate at the AAA (American Automobile Association) Foundation, Brian Tefft says, "Everybody likes to think they're strong, and they're tough, and they can will themselves to stay awake." Mr. Tefft further says that drivers have to be nodding off for two to four minutes to realize they were just asleep, whereas it only takes two or three seconds for something catastrophic to happen if you are asleep at the wheel."

A November 2014 AAA Foundation study showed that drowsy drivers had considerable impact on road safety. The number who were involved in fatal crashes was 21 percent which was up from 16.5 percent in the previous study done in 2010. The study showed that drowsy drivers are often crash victims and die in single-car crashes.

Here are the AAA Foundation's "Key Facts: Drowsy Driving":Drowsy driving

• 37% of drivers report having fallen asleep behind the wheel at some point in their lives; 11% report having fallen asleep behind the wheel in the past year
• Drowsiness was involved in one in five fatal crashes
• An estimated 328,000 crashes each year, including 109,000 injury crashes and 6,400 fatal crashes, involve a drowsy driver.
• Men have twice as many drowsy driving crashes as women
• More than half of drowsy driving crashes involve drivers drifting out of their lanes or off the road

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology Director, Allan Pack, says that performance declines beyond 16 hours of being awake. With 20 hours of being awake performance is at a comparable BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08 percent.

Teens and drowsy driving

Teenagers are often balancing many things such as school, sports, and even part-time jobs. All of these activities take away from the time they have for sleeping, putting teens at particular risk of becoming involved in crashes as the result of drowsiness. A lecturer in the Stanford Graduate School of Education says that parents can take steps to help prevent "teen drowsy accidents."
She recommends parents take the car keys away from teens who get less than six and a half hours sleep in any one night.

Long-distance and heavy vehicle drivers

Long-distance and heavy vehicle drivers are often are hectic schedules and forced to meet unrealistic deadlines when it comes to pick-ups and deliveries. These schedules often are met only by cutting down on sleep time. When sleep time is cut down, there is a greater risk of "drowsy" accidents.

For example:

• In August 2010 in Ohio and woman and her two sons were returning from a family reunion. After braking at a construction zone, the driver was hit by the driver of a semi-truck who failed to see the stopped traffic in time. The driver admitted he had fallen asleep and when he opened his eyes he saw brake lights, people coming to a stop, but he could not stop. The woman died and the teen-aged sons were seriously injured.

• In 2014 the driver of the Wal-Mart truck which crashed into the chauffeured van carrying comic Tracy Morgan had all the latest, sophisticated collision-avoidance systems, but none of the systems prevented the truck driver from falling asleep at the wheel and killing one and injuring Mr. Morgan.

What are the signs of drowsy driving? The National Sleep Foundation lists the following:

• Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
• Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
• Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
• Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
• Trouble keeping your head up
• Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
• Feeling restless and irritable

"Drowsy driving is very dangerous. There is technology available in some model vehicles to warn drivers of drowsiness. However, the best way to counter drowsiness is to be sure to get enough sleep prior to driving," says Fort Myers Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Fort Myers Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.