The mental state of a driver influences their safety in traffic. Angry drivers may experience lapses in judgment that lead to road rage incidents. Drivers distracted by their mobile phones or a meal eaten on the way to a client meeting may not properly monitor their surroundings. Drunk and drug-impaired drivers struggle to maintain safe control of their vehicles.
Drowsiness or fatigue is also a significant safety concern for motorists. Especially in the winter months, drivers may experience high levels of fatigue in traffic that increase their risk of causing a crash.
What causes driver fatigue?
Driver fatigue is often due to going too long without adequate sleep. Someone headed home after a lengthy overtime shift may have been awake for 20 hours or more. They may have a hard time staying awake and making appropriate decisions.
Driver fatigue can also be the result of cognitive burnout and a slump in energy after a long day at work. Alcohol can exacerbate fatigue symptoms. During the winter months, lower light levels lead to a change in people’s circadian rhythms that may leave them feeling drowsy during their afternoon drive home from work.
How does fatigue affect driving?
Fatigued drivers experience numerous consequences that impair their driving performance. They have a harder time paying attention and may be more susceptible to distractions. Even when trying to monitor their surroundings, they may have a longer reaction time to sudden changes in traffic conditions.
Fatigue compromises cognitive functioning, making it more difficult for drivers to react appropriately to an animal running out in front of their vehicle or a disabled car peering around a blind curve. Exhausted drivers could also fall asleep at the wheel.
When another driver’s exhaustion leads to preventable traffic mistakes, the people affected by the crash may have grounds to request compensation. Those hurt by fatigued drivers may be able to file insurance claims or even lawsuits against the motorists who caused the crash. They may not have proof of fatigue, but evidence of unsafe or illegal traffic conduct can be enough to establish fault and liability.
Reviewing what happened during a crash with a skilled legal team can help people understand their rights. Motorists who make mistakes due to fatigue are often liable for the motor vehicle collisions they cause.