Intoxicated and distracted driving often draw the lion’s share of attention when it comes to dangerous driving behaviors. But lately, one issue has risen above the rest, causing huge numbers of injuries and fatalities.
Drowsy driving is the issue at hand. But what makes driving while drowsy such a huge deal? Why is it so deadly? And why is it getting worse?
The familiarity of drowsy driving
The Sleep Foundation tackles issues tied to drowsy driving. First, drowsy driving is a growing phenomenon. Unlike other dangerous forms of driving, drowsy driving is on a steady incline. Experts speculate many factors contribute to this rise. Many people drive drowsy and make it to their destination safely, giving them a false sense of security. They tell the people in their lives, who do the same.
On top of that, many people feel forced to drive drowsy because they need to make it to work no matter how well they slept the night before. In many a workplace, arriving to work exhausted is just a part of the daily routine. People feel no need to worry about drowsy driving if it is so common.
No laws against drowsy driving
There are no specific laws designed to combat drowsy driving, either. After all, you cannot run a test for drowsiness like you can for intoxication. It is hard to get drowsy drivers off the road even when they are making potentially risky decisions. For example, a driver might get pulled over because they were speeding due to drowsiness. The focus is on the speeding rather than the root cause, though.
Drowsy drivers cause many fatalities and injuries because they cannot control themselves well when exhausted. It is easy to miss dangers and not react quickly enough. Unfortunately, these dangers may continue until society grows less accepting of drowsy driving.