District conduct has become a serious problem in all courts in Western Michigan. There was one accident and one accident after another caused by distracted people. These accidents are not just minor wing beads, people are seriously injured or killed in these accidents. Due to the increase in serious car accidents, the state legislature is adding strict legislation to Michigan`s Distracted Driving Act. Similarly, New Jersey`s “death by automobile or ship” law, 2C:11-5(a), defines criminal reckless conduct in terms of a driver who is “sleeping” or “sleepless” for more than 24 hours. Specifically, New Jersey`s Vehicle Homicide Act provides the following: Exceptions to Michigan`s distracted driving laws apply if the driver uses a mobile communication device for the following purposes: But many states have recognized the dangers of tired driving. Although sleepy driving laws are not in effect in the states listed below, they have taken some steps (no matter how small) to spread a safety message to their citizens about the dangers of driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 91,000 accidents related to sleepy driving in 2017. Conservative estimates show that these 91,000 accidents resulted in 50,000 injuries and 800 deaths. Since 2017, sleepy driving accidents have continued to rise – it is estimated that drowsiness while driving in the United States causes more than 100,000 accidents and 1,550 deaths each year. Sleepy drivers suffer from slower reaction times, decreased consciousness and impaired judgment, resulting in an increased risk of accidents. While every driver is prone to drowsiness while driving, certain demographic groups or groups tend to have a much higher risk of drowsy driving.
This may be due to high road levels, inexperience, long working hours, later driving at night, etc. Some of these groups that are more at risk are: House Bill 4198, which was recently proposed, would add meat to the current distracted driving law. It would do so by making it illegal for drivers to use a computer or mobile phone while driving to “read, display, enter or manually send an interactive communication, or access, read or publish a social media site.” This bill also prohibits people who drive on the road from doing the following: It may seem simple, but drowsiness at the wheel usually occurs because the driver is tired or generally drowsy. In most documented sleepy driving accidents, the driver of the vehicle has recently experienced sleep deprivation or suffered from a lack of sleep. However, there are many other reasons why drowsiness while driving can occur, such as prescription medications, powerful over-the-counter medications, alcohol, drugs, sleeping pills, or an undocumented sleep disorder. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from significant sleep-related problems. The NHSTA conducted another study and found that nearly 40 percent of all drivers admit to falling asleep at least once while driving, and that nearly 20 percent of car accidents that resulted in death were caused by drivers who fell asleep while driving. Michigan State Police recommend that you take a break every 100 miles or two hours on a road trip. It is also advisable to bring a buddy to share the ride, or at least talk to the driver and monitor him to make sure he is alert.
Also, never drink or use drugs and drive a car – this is especially true if you are sleepy. Alcohol and drugs, even prescription or over-the-counter medications, can cause additional drowsiness or problems that exacerbate the risks caused by drowsiness while driving. Also try to avoid driving between midnight and 6 a.m. And in the late afternoon, because these are the times when the bodies naturally need the most sleep. The science behind sleepy driving laws is compelling, and there are excellent reasons why Michigan and 47 other states should “wake up” and become aware of the very real dangers posed by excessively exhausted and dangerously sleepy drivers who sit behind the wheel and otherwise cause highly preventable car accidents: the choices you make after your accident, can shape the way you live forever. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a sleeping driver, contact our qualified lawyers now at (517) 347-6900. We have over 30 years of experience in supporting Lansing car accident victims and can help you. We will do everything in our power to protect your rights and help you get the financial compensation you need and deserve. Even more dangerous than sleeping driving is falling asleep at the wheel. If you`re trying to push your wakeful limits, it`s inevitable that you`ll eventually fall asleep. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted an investigation in which it asked drivers if they had ever fallen asleep on a highway at speeds above 55 miles per hour. Surprisingly, more than 60% of drivers surveyed admitted to falling asleep.
With so many people falling asleep behind the wheel, it`s easy to see why this has the potential to cause catastrophic and fatal accidents. While everyone is prone to sleepy driving accidents, shiftworkers are particularly at risk. Your natural sleep patterns are disrupted by the night of work or long and irregular working hours. The human body is governed by an internal clock known as the circadian rhythm, which makes a person want to sleep when it`s dark and awake when it`s light. It causes periods of drowsiness between midnight and 6 a.m. – the natural time to sleep – and then back in the afternoon. But shiftworkers must try to sleep when their bodies tell them to be awake, and be awake when their bodies tell them to sleep. As a person gets tired, they begin to miss things they would normally react to, resulting in reckless and even dangerous mistakes, especially when driving. Late-night and early morning driving hours are the most dangerous, with most accidents occurring between midnight and 6 a.m. Before you hit the road: Like Michigan, the following states have not enacted sleepy driving laws.
Michigan residents saw their rates rise by more than $600 a year after a distracted driving submission was reported to their insurance company — much higher than the national average. Another factor is the type of work and some night shifts can greatly affect a person`s fatigue when behind the wheel. Large freight forwarders and other commercial vehicles often cause sleeping driving accidents due to long hours on the road and too little sleep between shifts. There are only two states in the country that have sleeping driving laws. Michigan is not one of them. Here are some tips to help people avoid distracted driving, according to Michigan State Police, lawmakers are currently working to strengthen distracted driving laws with a ban on the use of handheld devices while driving. This bill has the full support of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and is expected to become comprehensive legislation in the near future. It`s important to recognize signals that indicate you`re too tired to drive. Many people don`t want to admit that they are doing something uncertain and keep going. Instead, the driver should drive on the side of the road to the nearest safe place and call an Uber, taxi, or friend nearby who can help you.
Even stopping and catching up on sleep in a safe place is better than exposing yourself and others to the risk of an accident. Some common warning signs that you`re too tired or sleepy to drive a vehicle include: The only two states that have passed sleepy driving laws to combat the dangers of tired driving are Arkansas and New Jersey. Any type of distraction increases the risk of committing a movement violation or causing an accident. Currently, the state`s laws focus primarily on the risks posed by the use of mobile phones, while neglecting a number of other important sources of distraction. Michigan lawmakers had proposed new laws that would expand the ban on texting. These new bills would increase penalties for drivers who are distracted on the road and endanger innocent lives.