In the stressful world that we live in, sleep disorders have become rampant. To get a good night’s sleep, many people depend on sleep aids. Whenever someone takes sleep aids, they assume that it's effects will wear off by morning. However, research has shown that this may not be the case. In this post, we will discuss how sleep aids can affect your driving ability the following day.
Considering the effects these sleep aids might have on driving ability, the US Food and Drug Administration is focusing it's efforts on ensuring that people are educated about the ill-effects of taking sleep aids. The FDA is particularly worried about people who take sleep medication at night and drive the following morning. The problem is that in many cases, the effects of the sleep aid do not wear off by morning, and this results in people driving while drowsy. This can have serious consequences not only for the driver, but also for others on the road.
In the United States, sleep aids are pretty common, According to a research firm, IMS health, in 2012, doctors gave out a staggering 60 million prescriptions for medications that help people sleep. With an increasing number of people taking these sleep aids, there is mounting evidence to show that sleep aids continue to affect people the following day as well. Recently, the FDA announced that manufacturers of a common sleeping aid Ambien must reduce the dosage to women by half. The agency also recommended that people taking Benadryl should refrain from driving as it can make them drowsy.
Drowsy driving accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drowsy driving accidents are quite common in the US, and results in more than 100,000 traffic accidents each year. The agency also reported that almost 1,550 people are killed in drowsy driving accidents annually, and another 40,000 suffer injuries.
In
spite of this huge number of accidents that occur each year, people continue to drive when they are fatigued or drowsy. In a study
of 150,000 drivers, 4 percent admitted to have fallen asleep while
driving during the previous month.
Our Chicago auto lawyers believe that it is extremely important for people to make sure that they are fit to drive before they get behind the wheel. They should be cautious about taking medications that can make them drowsy. Drivers should get a good night’s sleep before driving, and if they are experiencing any symptoms of fatigue such as excessive blinking, yawning, or swerving, they should pull over and rest for a while or get someone else to drive.
If you have been injured in a Chicago car accident caused by a drowsy driver, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at Willens Law Offices to ensure your rights are protected. Call (312) 957-4166 for a free case evaluation.
