Florida Looks to Drowsy Driving Prevention Campaign to Curb Tragic Accidents
The first week of September marks Drowsy Driving Prevention Week in Florida, an annual campaign dedicated to reducing accidents caused by drowsy drivers on Florida’s roadways. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) established Drowsy Driving Prevention Week in 2010, in honor of eight-year-old Ronshay Dugans, who was tragically killed on September 5, 2008, when a cement truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and collided with the school bus she was riding. If you were injured or lost a loved one in a trucking accident with a drowsy driver in Florida, you have important rights. Our personal injury attorneys at Robert Brown Law have years of experience helping truck accident victims pursue the compensation they deserve for the harm they have suffered, and we can help you, too. Call us today for a free injury consultation.
Drivers Urged to Take a Break if Fatigued Behind the Wheel
The FLHSMV this week launched its annual Drowsy Driving Prevention Week campaign aimed at educating the public about the dangers of getting behind the wheel of a commercial truck, passenger car, or any other motor vehicle while fatigued. For the entire month of September, the FLHSMV will be encouraging drivers of all vehicles to pull over and take a break if they are experiencing signs of drowsiness, such as yawning repeatedly, drifting into other lanes, or having difficulty focusing on the road. Commercial truck drivers are particularly susceptible to fatigue, due to routinely traveling long distances and spending countless hours behind the wheel, which increases the risk of a deadly trucking accident. “Whether you are driving a vehicle with two wheels or 18, driving while drowsy is a poor decision that can lead to deadly consequences,” says Gene Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “FHP strongly encourages all drivers to be alert when operating a motor vehicle and to take a break if they are [drowsy]. Let’s all do our part to keep Florida roadways safe.”
Across the U.S., drowsy driving accounts for about 100,000 accidents every year, resulting in roughly 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities.
Dangers of Driving While Drowsy
Fatigue can significantly impair a driver’s ability to think clearly or react quickly behind the wheel, which can increase exponentially the risk of an accident. Fatigue can also cause what is known as “micro-sleeping,” or nodding off, or may even cause a driver to fall completely asleep, which poses a serious threat to the driver’s safety and the safety of anyone else on the road. In fact, fatigue or sleep loss can cause many of the same symptoms as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Across the U.S., drowsy driving accounts for about 100,000 accidents every year, resulting in roughly 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities. “Drowsy driving poses more of a threat than most realize,” says Terry L. Rhodes, Executive Director of the FLHSMV. “Missing just a couple hours of sleep can significantly increase a driver’s crash risk, putting the lives of those on our roadways in danger. No matter how far your destination may be, driving drowsy is never worth the risk.”
Contact Our Skilled Trucking Accident Attorneys for Legal Help
Collisions involving semi-trucks and big-rigs can lead to complicated injury claims, which is why we always recommend consulting a knowledgeable personal injury attorney after suffering injuries in a Florida truck accident. At Robert Brown Law, we know how difficult it can be to navigate the process of filing an injury claim and recovering compensation from the person or party responsible for your injuries. That is why we have dedicated our careers to protecting the rights of accident victims in Florida and across the country. If you or someone you love has suffered injuries in a Florida trucking accident, contact our reputable trucking accident attorneys as quickly as possible to discuss the possibility of filing a personal injury claim.
