The driver of a truck reportedly fell asleep while heading south on Route 94 in Kanawha County, West Virginia (WV). This led to the truck slamming head-on into a car. The truck driver was not hurt but the person in the car was taken to the hospital, according to WSAZ.com. We do not know the extent of the victim’s injuries, but head-on car wrecks usually cause major damage and serious injuries.
Unfortunately, these types of accidents are not uncommon. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that roughly 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries resulted from drowsy and fatigued drivers.
According to a 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll, 60 percent of adult drivers say they have driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the past year, and over 37 percent of people have actually fallen asleep while driving. Four percent of drivers admit they have experienced a car wreck or near-miss accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive.
This may sound like common sense, but it bears repeating – if you start to feel tired while driving, stop and take a break. Get a coffee, or just stop at a 7-11 and stretch your legs. This is especially true if you are driving long distances. If more people adhered to this simple principal, hopefully the number of car accident deaths from drowsy drivers will start to go down.
PA