5,000 People Died in Drowsy-Driving Crashes in 2015

The Governors Highway Safety Organization (GHSO) released a new report showing that drowsy driving is a growing threat to your safety as an estimated 5,000 people were killed in drowsy-driving accidents last year.

The report, titled “Wake Up Call! Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do,” reveals that some 83.6 million Americans get behind the wheel while they are sleep deprived.

Researchers also found that drowsy driving costs Americans $109 billion annually, including legal fees, emergency response services, insurance administration fees, medical bills and lost income. This is the first time the societal cost of drowsy driving has been reflected in a dollar amount.

The report was created by traffic safety administrators, sleep study physicians and other experts and it was designed to educate and inform legislators and businesses in an effort to reduce future deaths.

The author of the GHSO report urges people to realize the seriousness of drowsy driving, alongside drunk driving and failing to buckle up.

Risks of Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving can cause reckless driving, including swerving into other lanes, failing to notice pedestrians or bicyclists, ignoring traffic stops and barreling through intersections.

Teen drivers and young adults are most at risk for drowsy driving collisions, along with shift workers and people suffering from sleep disorders.

Since tired drivers react less quickly when driving, the GHSO report suggests ways to mitigate this issue like workplace policies, enhanced data collection, teen driving education and licensing mandates, better enforcement training and heightened public awareness.

Have you been injured in a drowsy-driving car accident? Contact the auto accident attorneys at Phillips Law Group to see if you are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, property damage, and other expenses.

Call 1-800-706-3000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation.