Drowsy Driving Accidents
Operating a motor vehicle while tired, drowsy or fatigued is a considerable accident risk. Drowsy drivers often have trouble concentrating on the road and safely remaining in control of their vehicles. If you get injured in a crash that is caused by a drowsy driver, you have legal rights. An experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney can help you understand, protect and exercise these rights.
What Are the Dangers of Drowsy Driving?
Drowsy driving is a risky driver behavior that contributes to thousands of automobile accidents each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 693 lives were lost due to drowsy driving in 2022 alone.
Driving while tired can impact a driver’s abilities in multiple ways, such as:
- Impaired cognition
- Slowed reflexes
- Delayed reaction times
- Decreased attention and focus
- Struggling to stay alert
- Missing traffic signals or road hazards
- Drifting in and out of lanes
A driver who is suffering from fatigue may also fall asleep behind the wheel, potentially crashing into other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians without applying the brakes. These high-speed collisions can cause severe damage, injuries and deaths.
Liability for a Drowsy Driving Accident in California
The State of California operates under a fault-based car insurance system. This means that when a drowsy driver causes a crash, his or her car insurance company can be held liable, or financially responsible, for the outcome. Every driver in California is required to carry liability insurance to pay for the medical bills and property damage of others after an at-fault accident.
Drowsy driving is especially common among career drivers, such as truck drivers, bus drivers, delivery drivers, taxi drivers, and rideshare drivers. These professionals may face job pressures to exceed the hours-of-service restrictions placed on them by federal law – increasing the odds of chronic or cumulative fatigue and related automobile accidents.
How to Prove a Drowsy Driving Accident Case
To hold a drowsy driver liable for causing a car accident in California, the injured victim must prove fault. This requires evidence that the other driver was negligent or reckless, and that this is what caused the motor vehicle collision.
“Negligence” refers to acting with a substandard level of care, or less than the amount of care that a reasonable and prudent person would use in similar circumstances. Knowingly getting behind the wheel while fatigued is an example of negligence. Proving drowsy driving may take evidence such as a police report, employment records, the driver’s medical history, eyewitness statements and accident reconstruction.
If a drowsy driver violated a traffic law and this is what caused the accident, it may not be necessary to prove that the driver was tired; instead, it will be enough to provide evidence that the other driver broke a law – such as by speeding, running a red light, following too closely or making an unsafe lane change – and that this caused the vehicle collision.
When to Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
If you have reason to believe that the other driver involved in your car accident was drowsy or fatigued, you may need a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles to help you seek fair financial compensation for the losses you have suffered. A lawyer can help you prove negligence or fault by preserving and collecting evidence against the drowsy driver.
If you are offered a settlement from the other driver’s car insurance company, your lawyer can make sure it is a fair amount or negotiate for greater compensation based on the extent of your losses. You can trust your attorney to fight for a positive case outcome while you concentrate on healing and rebuilding your life as much as possible.
To speak to a car accident attorney in Los Angeles about a recent drowsy driving crash, contact Rose, Klein & Marias to request a free consultation.