South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Sleepy drivers are everywhere, and many of them can't recognize the symptoms and don't understand the dangers they're facing on our roadways. The bottom line is that the number of fatigued drivers on our roadways is alarming and they're causing many car accidents in Boca Raton and elsewhere throughout South Florida.

To help combat the problem, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is recruiting the help of state and local law enforcement agencies for Florida's Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. Each September, officials use an entire week to help raise awareness in drivers about this dangerous driving habit.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys understand the dangers of drowsy driving and are here to tell you some simple ways to avoid one of these potentially fatal accidents. Unfortunately, most drivers think that they can power through fatigued driving, but the truth is that the more you fight it, the more dangerous it becomes.

The Ronshay Dugans Act was passed back in 2010 and has named the first week of every September as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Alan Williams, District 8.

"Drowsy driving can be eliminated with simple planning and a conscious decision to pull over when you know you are tired. We want everyone traveling Florida roads to arrive safely at their destinations," said Representative Williams.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that every year there are about 100,000 accidents reported to police officers that point to a drowsy driver as the cause. These accidents take the lives of roughly 1,550 people and injure another 71,000. These types of accidents cost about $12.5 billion every year. Many agencies believe that these numbers are even higher because they predict there are a large number of accidents that are never reported.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, these are some common symptoms of driver fatigue:

• Being unable to recall the last few miles traveled.
• Having wandering or disconnected thoughts.
• Having trouble keeping your eyes open and focus on the road.
• Feeling as if your head is very heavy.
• Drifting your vehicle out of your lane.
• Yawning a bunch.
• Missing traffic signs and other road devices.

To help prevent drowsy driving make sure to:

• Get plenty of sleep before venturing out on our roadways.
• Bring along a friend. If you start experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, give yourself a break and let a passenger drive.
• Schedule in rest breaks. You should never drive more than three hours consecutively.
• Eat well-balanced meals. Being hungry can assist the feeling of drowsiness.

Drowsy driving has the potential to affect everyone on our roadways. Be considerate of the safety of others and do your part to keep yourself and your passengers safe by preparing yourself and learning about the symptoms and cures for fatigued driving.