If
you suffer from a sleep disorder, it can affect every facet of your
life. Most people don't give driving much thought, but if you haven't
had a restful night's sleep due to sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome,
insomnia or sleep deprivation, you could be putting yourself and others
in danger.According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sleep disorders are one of the major risk groups when it comes to driving drowsy. Every year there are 5,000 to 6,000 fatal motor vehicle accidents that can be contributed to driving while tired. These numbers are probably conservative, and there are just as many accidents that are not fatal.
If you would never consider driving while intoxicated, driving while drowsy has surprisingly similar consequences. The CDC found that if you haven't slept in 18 hours, your impairment level is about the same as a person with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05. Those that haven't slept in 24 hours have the same judgment and reaction time of a person with a BAC of 0.10, which is illegal in all states.
If you're driving down the road and find yourself yawning a lot, it's time to take action. If you are hitting rumble strips or are drifting into another lane, pull over. Take a rest or let someone else drive. At the very least, take a brisk walk and get some coffee.
Sleep disorders are difficult to deal with during the night, but the consequences of these issues have to be dealt with during the daytime too. If you have a sleep disorder, consider whether you should be driving a car, because you could be putting yourself or somebody else at risk.
Stay safe on the road. Call Security First Insurance Agency at (810) 732-5800 for more information on Flint auto insurance.
