The correlation between sleep deprivation and car accidents

Many Ohio residents simply do not get enough sleep. With all of the demands of work, family and friends, it can seem like there is no time to feel rested. While many people believe that sleep deprivation is more of a nuisance than anything else, they may not realize that it also leads to devastating car accidents.According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the federal government’s estimations regarding the connection between drowsy driving and crashes is around eight times less than reality. Unfortunately, the foundation is probably right since there is no real way to measure whether fatigue contributed to an accident. Law enforcement agencies use a variety of testing methods to determine whether drugs, alcohol, speed and other factors contributed to a wreck, but there is no test for whether someone was sleepy.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least seven hours of sleep a night for the average adult, but at least 35 percent of adults do not get that much sleep. In fact, some Ohio residents may laugh at that recommendation because there is no way they get that much sleep, and they cannot fathom being able to do so. Sadly, this makes those individuals dangerous while driving.People who become the victims of a drowsy driver could easily suffer serious injuries in car accidents. Even if they make a full recovery, they still end up with significant medical expenses, lost income and other damages. Victims may benefit from taking advantage of their right to file personal injury claims to pursue restitution for those losses.