Man, Child Killed In Humboldt Drowsy Driving Accident
A Crescent City man and a 5-year-old boy were killed over the weekend in what is believed to be a drowsy driving accident.
According to the Times-Standard, 27-year-old Maira Montez was driving on US highway 101 when she apparently fell asleep. As she dozed off, her Chevrolet Suburban drifted to the eastern shoulder, and traveled on the shoulder for about 300 feet. When she woke up and steered her car back on the highway, the sudden movement caused the car to spin, resulting in the vehicle striking a tree on the side of the highway. A 54-year-old man and a 5-year-old child were seriously injured, and died at the scene of the accident. Montez and two other passengers in her car were moderately injured.
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year there are an estimated 100,000 accidents that can be traced to drowsy driving. These accidents injure an estimated 71,000 people, and more than 1,500 people die.
Unfortunately, even with these vast numbers of automobile accidents every year that can be traced to motorists driving in a drowsy state, there is very little education and awareness about the dangers of drowsy driving. Plenty of attention is focused on preventing drunk driving, and driving without seatbelts which in the past, contributed to a majority of traffic accident fatalities. Education campaigns over the years and stronger laws punishing impaired driving and failure to buckle up, have contributed to a growing intolerance towards these practices. As a result, there are fewer accidents that are traced to impaired driving or failure to wear seatbelts. However, the rates of drowsy accident deaths have remained the same.
According to statistics, most drowsy driving accidents occur in the early morning hours. The numbers of these accidents also seem to peak in the middle afternoon. Different age groups are at risk for such accidents at different times of the day. People aged between 18 and 45 have a higher risk of drowsy driving accidents in the late night and early morning hours. In contrast, elderly people are most likely to fall asleep during the afternoon siesta time, with serious consequences.
California personal injury lawyers have warned that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. While an impaired driver suffers from slow reflexes and may be too slow to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision, a drowsy driver may fall asleep at the wheel with his foot on the gas pedal, unable to brake and unaware that he is going to collide with anther vehicle, until it's too late. It's easy to understand why these accidents are usually devastating.
Experts suggest the following tips to prevent drowsy driving accidents:
* Don't drive if you begin to doze off. If you feel yourself beginning to nod off, pull over and take a nap.
* Naps mustn't be too long or they will leave you groggy. A 20 minute nap in the driver's seat followed by coffee, can leave you fresh and ready to drive again.
* Traveling with a passenger can keep you awake.
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