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THE DANGERS OF DRIVER FATIGUE AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

Nov 19, 2018
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HOW SERIOUS A PROBLEM IS DRIVER FATIGUE?


According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year about 100,000 police-reported crashes involve drowsy driving. These crashes result in more than 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries. The real number may be much higher, however, as it is difficult to determine whether a driver was drowsy at the time of a crash.

In the article below, the personal injury team at Wham & Rogers discuss driver fatigue and how dangerous it really is. If you have been injured by a driver who was fatigued, drowsy, or asleep at the wheel, call us at (832) 592-1108 to find out your options for pursuing recovery.


study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimated that 328,000 drowsy driving crashes occur annually. That’s more than three times the police-reported number. The same study found that 109,000 of those drowsy driving crashes resulted in an injury and about 6,400 were fatal. The researchers suggest the prevalence of drowsy driving fatalities is more than 350% greater than reported.


How Does Fatigue Affect Drivers?


According to Advanced Driver Fatigue Research, fatigue affects drivers in the following ways:


  • slower reaction time
  • impaired judgment and vision
  • decline in attention to important signs, road changes and the actions of other vehicles
  • decreased alertness, preventing you from seeing an obstacle and avoiding a crash
  • increased moodiness and aggressive behavior
  • problems with processing information and short-term memory


When are Fatigue-Related Crashes Most Likely to Occur?


Most drowsy driving crashes happen between midnight and 6:00 a.m., when the body’s need for sleep is greatest, and in the mid-afternoon (during the circadian dip). The driver is alone and more likely to be male. Drivers who drive alone or have no one to help them watch for the signs of fatigue are at higher risk.

  • Sleep-related crashes tend to involve a single vehicle running off a high speed road to the right or to the left. Often a single vehicle drifts off the road and hits a stationary object.
  • Sleep related crashes look different from alcohol-related crashes, in that there is no evidence of the driver braking or making evasive maneuvers.
  • Many drowsy driving crashes involve serious injuries and/or fatalities.


What are the Signs of Driver Fatigue?


Symptoms of fatigue while driving include similar symptoms to fatigue while doing any other task. Drivers should be mindful of the following:


  • Frequent yawning or difficulty keeping your eyes open
  • “Nodding off” or having trouble keeping your head up
  • Inability to remember driving the last few miles
  • Missing road signs or turns
  • Difficulty maintaining your speed
  • Drifting out of your lane


How to Prevent Fatigue-Related Auto Accidents


The best way to prevent fatigue-related auto accidents is for drivers to get enough sleep. Most adults need 7-9 hours, and most teens need 8.5 - 9.5 hours to maintain proper alertness during the day. How can you prevent fatigue? Consider the following:


  • Schedule proper breaks, about every 100 miles or 2 hours during long trips.
  • Arrange for a travel companion—someone to talk with and share the driving.
  • Avoid alcohol and sedating medications—check your labels or ask your doctor
  • Stop driving—pull off at the next exit or rest area, or find a place to sleep for the night.
  • Take a nap—find a safe place to take a 15-20 minute nap (more than 20 minutes can make you groggy for 15 minutes or more after waking).
  • Consume caffeine–the equivalent of two cups of coffee can increase alertness for several hours, and usually takes about 30 minutes to enter the bloodstream. Caffeine is available in various forms (coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chewing gum, tablets), and in various amounts. For example, the amount of caffeine in one cup of coffee (about 135 mg) is about the same as 2-3 cups of tea or 3-4 cans of regular or diet cola.
  • Try consuming caffeine before taking a short nap to get the benefits of both.
  • Let a passenger take over the diving.


What to do if You are Injured in a Fatigue-Related Auto Accident


If you have been injured by a fatigued driver, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. Reach out to the car accident lawyers at Wham & Rogers for a free consultation and to learn more about your rights and options.



MORE RESOURCES ON DRIVER FATIGUE CAN BE FOUND HERE:

https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Documents/MWL_2016_factsheet01.pdf
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/sleep-health


By Rene Rogers 30 Apr, 2024
The first step you should take is to hire an experienced wrongful death attorney. Losing a family member to violence or an accident is a staggering blow. It can be hard to know what steps to take and how to protect your family. Wham & Rogers offers experienced, compassionate representation to families suffering from the wrongful death of a spouse, parent or child. If your spouse, parent or child has suffered a fatal injury in an accident or due to the violent act of another, it is important to retain an experienced wrongful death attorney as soon as possible so the attorney can gather and preserve critical evidence before it is destroyed. What damages are recoverable in a wrongful death lawsuit? Economic damages , such as medical bills, funeral expenses, lost wages and loss of household services can be recovered in a wrongful death claim. Non-economic damages such as emotional pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and mental anguish are recoverable. Punitive damages may be awarded in cases where the person causing the death acted with malice or gross negligence. These damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer and to act as a deterrent to others who may engage in the same wrongful behavior. How long do I have to make a claim for wrongful death? As a general rule, the statute of limitations for wrongful death is two years from the date of the negligence resulting in the fatality . This means you will have two years from the date of the negligence to file suit. However, it is advisable to retain a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible since it is important to gather evidence before it is destroyed. Which family members have a right to file a wrongful death claim? The surviving spouse, children and parents of the person who died has a right to bring a wrongful death claim. If the spouse, children or parents don’t bring the wrongful death claim, then the executor or administrator of the estate has the right to bring the wrongful death claim. What is a survival claim? If your family member did not die immediately, a personal injury claim may be filed for treatment expenses and each beneficiary of the estate may receive a portion of the recovery. Who can be held responsible for the wrongful death of my family member? A person who negligently, recklessly or intentionally caused the death of a person may be held responsible. Examples of wrongful death claims include trucking and automobile collisions, medical negligence, products liability, on the job injuries, and deaths due to inadequate security of premises. How do you prove a wrongful death case in Texas? In Texas, you must prove that a legal duty owed to the deceased was breached, causing the wrongful death. For example, there is a legal duty to operate a truck in accordance with the traffic laws in Texas. If the truck driver is speeding or fails to keep a proper lookout causing a wrongful death, that duty is breached and the trucking company may be liable for the wrongful death. How do I pay for a wrongful death lawsuit? The attorneys at Wham & Rogers handle wrongful death cases on a contingency basis. This means that you do not have to pay us unless there is a monetary recovery in the wrongful death claim. The attorneys at Wham & Rogers are experienced in handling wrongful death claims with skill, kindness and compassion. Please call 832-592-1108 , or text 832-413-1428 for a free consultation.
By Rene Rogers 30 Apr, 2024
We receive calls daily from injured people who can’t find a doctor to treat them. Their primary care physician won’t see them, and they can’t find an orthopedic specialist who will see them. Sometimes, doctors walk out of the examination room once they find that the patient was in an accident . Why is this happening? There are a number of reasons doctors do not want to see injured patients. Delays in payment by health insurance companies: Health insurance companies may take the position that the patient’s auto insurance personal injury protection coverage is primary and should pay before the health insurance pays. Doctors do not want to wait to be paid until after this issue is sorted out. Health insurance may not pay until subrogation (right to be reimbursed) issues are taken care of, so that the health insurance company knows it will be paid back from any settlement. Harassment by auto insurance companies: Doctors who treat injured patients have become a target of auto insurance companies. Insurance defense attorneys send extremely burdensome, overly broad depositions on written questions (questionnaires) requiring the doctors to dig through years of data about payments received for treating injured patients. Auto insurance companies have also sued doctors who treat injured people, accusing them of fraud, conspiracy and the like. Auto insurers accuse doctors of performing unneeded treatment and/or overcharging for treatment. Auto insurers also retain “hired guns” to testify against treating doctors, criticizing the treating doctor’s every decision, even though the “hired gun” has never seen the patient. Why do insurance companies use these tactics? They want to make it harder for people to receive treatment so they can pay less to injured claimants and increase insurance company profits. How can I find a doctor to treat me following my accident? The attorneys at Wham & Rogers can help facilitate prompt medical treatment for you. Sometimes it is just a matter of letting the health insurance company know their subrogation interests (right to be reimbursed) will be protected. We can also help injured clients access their personal injury protection coverage to pay some of their medical bills. If you have been injured and are having trouble finding a doctor to treat you, please give Wham & Rogers a call at 832-592-1108 or text 832-413-1428 for a free consultation.
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Each year, 600 Texans are killed and 10,000 more are injured in trucking collisions. After a trucking crash, quick action is required. The trucking companies have legal teams ready to act after a crash occurs. They immediately send experts to the crash site, photographing and measuring the roadway and interviewing the witnesses. So if you or a loved one is injured or killed in a trucking collision, letters requiring preservation of evidence should be sent immediately to the trucking company and to its insurers. Your lawyer should retain experts to perform computerized mapping of the crash site and to download the electronic control module of the 18-wheeler. And then after that, a qualified trucking liability expert should be retained to address the federal safety regulations that are critical to handling a truck crash claim. If you've been hit by a truck or commercial vehicle in The Woodlands, Spring or Conroe, you need an experienced attorney on your side. Please give us a call at (832) 592-1108 for a free consultation, or submit the contact form here.
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The information on this website is for general information purposes only. None of the information on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. 

By Rene Rogers 30 Apr, 2024
The first step you should take is to hire an experienced wrongful death attorney. Losing a family member to violence or an accident is a staggering blow. It can be hard to know what steps to take and how to protect your family. Wham & Rogers offers experienced, compassionate representation to families suffering from the wrongful death of a spouse, parent or child. If your spouse, parent or child has suffered a fatal injury in an accident or due to the violent act of another, it is important to retain an experienced wrongful death attorney as soon as possible so the attorney can gather and preserve critical evidence before it is destroyed. What damages are recoverable in a wrongful death lawsuit? Economic damages , such as medical bills, funeral expenses, lost wages and loss of household services can be recovered in a wrongful death claim. Non-economic damages such as emotional pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and mental anguish are recoverable. Punitive damages may be awarded in cases where the person causing the death acted with malice or gross negligence. These damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer and to act as a deterrent to others who may engage in the same wrongful behavior. How long do I have to make a claim for wrongful death? As a general rule, the statute of limitations for wrongful death is two years from the date of the negligence resulting in the fatality . This means you will have two years from the date of the negligence to file suit. However, it is advisable to retain a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible since it is important to gather evidence before it is destroyed. Which family members have a right to file a wrongful death claim? The surviving spouse, children and parents of the person who died has a right to bring a wrongful death claim. If the spouse, children or parents don’t bring the wrongful death claim, then the executor or administrator of the estate has the right to bring the wrongful death claim. What is a survival claim? If your family member did not die immediately, a personal injury claim may be filed for treatment expenses and each beneficiary of the estate may receive a portion of the recovery. Who can be held responsible for the wrongful death of my family member? A person who negligently, recklessly or intentionally caused the death of a person may be held responsible. Examples of wrongful death claims include trucking and automobile collisions, medical negligence, products liability, on the job injuries, and deaths due to inadequate security of premises. How do you prove a wrongful death case in Texas? In Texas, you must prove that a legal duty owed to the deceased was breached, causing the wrongful death. For example, there is a legal duty to operate a truck in accordance with the traffic laws in Texas. If the truck driver is speeding or fails to keep a proper lookout causing a wrongful death, that duty is breached and the trucking company may be liable for the wrongful death. How do I pay for a wrongful death lawsuit? The attorneys at Wham & Rogers handle wrongful death cases on a contingency basis. This means that you do not have to pay us unless there is a monetary recovery in the wrongful death claim. The attorneys at Wham & Rogers are experienced in handling wrongful death claims with skill, kindness and compassion. Please call 832-592-1108 , or text 832-413-1428 for a free consultation.
By Rene Rogers 30 Apr, 2024
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By Mark Wham 22 Apr, 2024
Each year, 600 Texans are killed and 10,000 more are injured in trucking collisions. After a trucking crash, quick action is required. The trucking companies have legal teams ready to act after a crash occurs. They immediately send experts to the crash site, photographing and measuring the roadway and interviewing the witnesses. So if you or a loved one is injured or killed in a trucking collision, letters requiring preservation of evidence should be sent immediately to the trucking company and to its insurers. Your lawyer should retain experts to perform computerized mapping of the crash site and to download the electronic control module of the 18-wheeler. And then after that, a qualified trucking liability expert should be retained to address the federal safety regulations that are critical to handling a truck crash claim. If you've been hit by a truck or commercial vehicle in The Woodlands, Spring or Conroe, you need an experienced attorney on your side. Please give us a call at (832) 592-1108 for a free consultation, or submit the contact form here.
By Rene Rogers 17 Apr, 2024
What are the Most Dangerous Vehicles on Our Roads? 18 -wheelers are the deadliest vehicles on our highways. Each year, 600 Texans are killed, and 10,000 more are injured in trucking collisions. It’s obvious why 18-wheelers are so dangerous. They weigh twenty to thirty times more than passenger cars, have a much higher ground clearance, and require twenty to forty percent further to stop. Do Truck Drivers Have to Comply with Higher Safety Standards? Because of these dangers, the Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require higher standards for commercial drivers; driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle requires a higher level of knowledge, skill, and physical abilities than is required of other drivers. Truck drivers must know the safety rules and follow them. Trucking companies must have safety policies and implement safety training programs. Truckers must conduct pre-trip and post-trip inspections of their trucks. Why is Quick Action Essential After a Trucking Collision? If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a trucking collision, quick action is required. The trucking companies have legal teams ready to act when a crash occurs. They send experts to the crash site, to photograph and measure the roadway, and to interview witnesses in order to try to minimize their liability. You need someone acting on your behalf to gather evidence and to ensure evidence is not destroyed. What Must be Done to Preserve Evidence Following a Collision With a Big Rig? Preservation of evidence letters should be sent to the trucking company and its insurers. Experts should be retained to perform computerized mapping of the crash site, and to download the 18 wheeler's electronic control module. A qualified trucking liability expert should be retained to address the federal safety regulation violations that are critical to handling truck crash claims. When we investigate trucking collisions, we often find that trucking companies fail to implement and follow adequate safety procedures, including failing to conduct the proper pre- and post-trip inspections. These failures to follow safety procedures often lead to otherwise avoidable collisions. Which Law Firm Should I Hire After an 18-Wheeler Collision? The attorneys at Wham & Rogers have the expertise and resources to handle trucking cases. We can get experts to the scene and have them gather data and download the electronic control module of the 18-wheeler before vital evidence is lost or destroyed. If you or a loved one has been in a collision with an 18-wheeler, the lawyers at Wham & Rogers can help you. Call 832-592-1108 or text 832-413-1428 for a free consultation.
Wham & Rogers, Texas Attorneys
By Mark Wham 09 Apr, 2024
1. Do I really need a personal injury lawyer? Yes, if you have a significant injury, choosing the right lawyer to handle your injury claim matters. Now more than ever, having the right lawyer can make a tremendous difference for the success of your claim. Insurance companies use sophisticated negotiation tactics to help them minimize your claim, or even avoid paying altogether. And make no mistake—the claims adjuster is not on your side. The adjuster, in a very real sense, is your opponent, and is specifically trained to make sure you don’t receive the maximum recovery you’re entitled to. 2. Does it really make a difference which lawyer I hire? Absolutely. The stronger your lawyer, the stronger your claim. Insurance companies keep track of which lawye rs have the experience, the resources, and the willingness to fight for their clients. They know which law firms are high-volume firms looking for a quick, easy settlement, and which lawyers are willing to do the hard work of fighting to get full justice. We have had clients contact us because a high-volume firm dropped their case after the insurance company “denied liability” and refused to pay quickly. 3. How do I find the best personal injury attorney? First, look at the lawyer’s qualifications and credentials. For example, the State Bar of Texas has a Board of Legal Specialization that certifies lawyers who are experts at handling personal injury claims. Fewer than 3% of Texas lawyers are Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. You should also check the lawyer’s ethics. One of the best sources is Martindale-Hubbel’s attorney ratings. The highest rating is AV-Preeminent—which means the lawyer is considered ethical by his peers and has demonstrated the highest level of competence. Next, consider the size of the firm. If you are represented by a large law firm, chances are you will not be represented by the best, most experienced lawyer at that firm, and your case will instead be “handed down” to an associate for handling. Hiring a “boutique” litigation firm, with fewer lawyers handling fewer cases, will mean that the firm’s top lawyers are directly involved in the handling of your claim. Beware of firms that advertise “billions of dollars in past recoveries.” Quite often, those recoveries include class action case results, involving thousands of clients, with each client receiving a relatively small recovery. Look instead for a lawyer who has a record of achieving substantial recoveries for individual clients. Find a lawyer who has “been there, done that.” Specific experience is important, so look for a lawyer who has widespread experience handling serious injury claims, including wrongful death claims, truck crash cases, and complex cases involving complicated injuries such as paralysis and traumatic brain injury. Wham & Rogers attorneys have over 70 years combined experience in personal injury law. Mark Wham is Board Certified in Personal Injury Law. Rene Rogers has been AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbel for 30 years. Ryan Wham attended one of the best law schools in the country, the University of Texas School of law and was a member of UT’s prestigious Law Review. Prior to going to work for his parents at Wham & Rogers, Ryan worked at one of the largest law firms in the world. If you are looking for a highly qualified, experienced personal injury firm, contact Wham & Rogers for a free consultation. Call 832-592-1108 or text 832-413-1428 .
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