In California, the sheer number of drivers on the road can instantly make driving more dangerous. When people employ dangerous behaviors, the risk factors only increase. Today, we will take a look at drowsy driving, which falls under the distracted driving umbrella.
Drowsy driving occurs when a driver gets behind the wheel while exhausted. There can be different levels of severity to drowsy driving. For example, a drowsy driver may not fall asleep at the wheel. However, the risk exists in any of them. Even if a drowsy driver does not fall asleep, they often suffer from other issues that make them just as dangerous. This includes:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slower reaction times
- An inability to predict and react to dangerous situations
- Easier to distracted
Many distracted driving behaviors cause a driver to suffer from similar issues. Drowsy driving can be particularly dangerous if a person does fall asleep at the wheel. This renders them completely incapable of reacting to their surroundings. This can result in more traumatic crashes.
Drowsy driving is on the rise lately. This could be for many reasons, including the current work culture. People feel as though they need to constantly “be on the go”. Many feel overworked and cannot afford to miss a shift even when exhausted. This leads to more drowsy driving and thus more crashes.
Do you want to take a closer look at how car crashes can affect someone’s life? If so, take a look at our web page on car crashes, linked here. You can learn more about the physical impact of crashes. You can also take a look at common causes of crashes, including distracted driving behaviors like drowsy driving.