West Palm Beach, FL – Murray Guari wants to remind all Florida drivers of the dangers of drowsy driving by announcing the National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week November 12 – 18. Sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases aggressiveness. The important message to drivers is You SnooZe You Lose Don’t Drive Drowsy.
Did you know that 30 percent of drivers admit that they have had an accident or near accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive? Drowsiness and driving are a deadly combination. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration driver fatigue leads to more than 1,500 deaths on the road each year and has contributed to 100,000 crashes and 71,000 injuries.
In comparison, on Florida roadways, there 2,826 crashes attributed to drowsy driving according to the Florida Department of Transportation. There were also more than 2,390 injuries and 20 deaths.
Research by the National Sleep Foundation shows that specific at risk groups include young drives, males under age 26, shift workers, commercial truck drivers, transportation workers (pilots, bus drivers, train operators, limo drivers) business travelers, individuals who drink alcohol or take sedating medications (antihistamines, cold tablets, anti-depressants) and people with sleep disorders (sleep deprived, sleep loss, insomnia, fatigue).
Know Some of the Warnings Signs:
- Closing your eyes longer than a blink
- Head bobbing forward and then bolting upright
- Difficulty focusing and wandering thoughts
- Yawning
- Drifting lanes or tailgating
- Missing exits, traffic signs or remembering last few miles driven
To avoid falling asleep behind the wheel it’s important to get a good-night’s sleep. If you feel sleepy, pull over and take a break, a nap if needed or drink a caffeinated beverage. When possible bring a friend to share driving responsibilities and take stretch breaks every few hours. Avoid alcohol and medications that can cause drowsiness and avoid driving at times when you normally would be asleep.
Education and awareness is key in preventing drowsy driving accidents. In addition to the National Drowsy Driving Awareness Week, In June 2010, Florida signed House Bill 971 (Ronshay Dugans Act) into law designating the first week of September as Florida’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, which encourages the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to educate law enforcement community & public about relationship between fatigue & driving performance.
The personal injury law firm of Murray Guari Trial Attorneys PL was founded in 2005. The firm is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, at 1525 N. Flagler Drive, Suite 100. The attorneys can be contacted at (561) 366-9099. Additional information about Murray Guari Trial Attorneys PL may be obtained from the firm’s website at www.murrayguari.com.
Contact
Jason Guari, Murray Guari Trial Attorneys PL
(561) 366-9099
jguari@murrayguari.com
Kim Sailer, BARD Marketing/PR
ksailer@bardmarketing.com
