Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death and injury in Las Vegas. Speeding, drunk driving, and texting are all common causes of accidents, but another very serious danger to the road is often forgotten: drowsy drivers. Drowsy drivers can cause accidents as severe or even worse than other distracted or impaired drivers, and innocent motorists and pedestrians are often the victims of these serious crashes.

What People Are Most Likely to Drive While Drowsy?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has studied the problem of drowsy drivers. One of their studies looked into which drivers are most likely to drive while drowsy. The results of this study show that drowsy driving is particularly likely in places like Las Vegas. The most at risk groups for driving drowsy include:

Young people, especially young men. In this case ¨young¨ meant anyone between the ages of 16 and 29. While we do not have an inordinate number of teenage drivers in Las Vegas, we do have a large number of tourists in their early twenties who come to take advantage of our city’s entertainment options.
Shift workers. The studies find that most shift workers suffer from sleep disturbances and as many as one-third of shift workers complain of fatigue. Night shift workers also get substantially less sleep than other workers. In a city like Las Vegas where many of our businesses are open 24 hours a day, we have an extraordinary number of residents who have to work late shifts. These workers then have to drive home after a full shift of what for some of them is draining work, and the result is drowsy driving.
People with untreated sleep disorders, like apnea and narcolepsy.

How Common is Drowsy Driving?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) almost 5% of people aged 18 or over admit to having fallen asleep while driving at least once in the previous 30 days. According to the agency, a person’s cognitive impairment after 18 hours of being awake is similar to someone with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%. After being awake for a full 24 hours a person’s cognitive impairment is equal to that of a person with a BAC of 0.10%. These numbers do not account for people who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. Statistics do show, however, that individuals who routinely get less than six hours of sleep per night are more likely to be in crashes.

Call Naqvi Injury Law

If you have been injured by the negligence of a drowsy driver, you may be entitled to compensation. You need the assistance of a passionate and experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney. Call Naqvi Injury Law today at (702)553-1000 and we will schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and answer your questions. We look forward to working with you.