Chicago Driver Fatigue Car Accident Lawyer: Chicago, Illinois

Driver fatigue is a danger that causes thousands of accidents each year. Research to quantify the exact numbers of fatigue-related accidents is much more complicated than injury cases of alcohol-impaired accidents because there is no measurable test.

With extensive experience in resolving Chicago auto accident cases, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC uses proven litigation techniques to obtain direct evidence of a driver's sleep habits at the time of a collision. Our tactics allow our personal injury lawyers to establish that fatigue contributed to an auto accident when the case is presented to a judge and jury.

Our personal injury attorneys currently represent accident victims throughout Illinois, and the Chicago area, including Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, Will County, Aurora, Chicago, Cicero, Elgin, Naperville, Rockford, and Schaumburg.

We work directly with the insurance company to negotiate an acceptable out-of-court settlement to recoup your medical expenses and time away from work. If you or a loved one were injured in a driving accident, contact our Chicago car accident attorneys today for an initial consultation and free case evaluation.

Driver Fatigue car Accident FAQs

Slowed Reaction Time due to Drowsiness

Fatigue leads to car accidents because it impairs reaction time, reduces attentiveness, and causes problems with processing and integrating information. The danger with sleepiness is that once a driver sits still, gets bored, or drives long distances, they start to let down their coping defenses that could lead to falling asleep at the wheel.

Ordinary Circumstances Involved in Driver Fatigue Motor Vehicle Accidents

There are circumstances or characteristics to determine if driver fatigue was involved in the accident, including:

• An accident occurs during late night/early morning hours or mid-afternoon
• Serious crash
• A single-vehicle leaving the road
• High-speed road
• The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash
• The motorist is alone
• A driver is with family members or close friends
• Commercial truckers failing to follow federal regulations by not taking breaks, leading to truck driver fatigue

Groups at higher risk for fatigue-related crashes include young people (16-29) and shift workers who work at night or long and irregular hours. The risk group also includes those who use sedative medications or have untreated or unrecognized sleep disorders (sleep apnea, narcolepsy).

Many trucking accidents result from working long hours, where the trucking company imposes unrealistic goals for the trucker to meet tight deadlines when delivering goods and products on time.

Explanations Behind the Outbreak of Sleepy Drivers

There are several causes of drowsy driving, including acute sleep loss, job-related sleep restriction, personal demands, lifestyle choices, sleep fragmentation, and circadian factors.

Seven to nine hours of sleep is needed for optimal performance, and less than four hours of sleep impairing attentiveness. Drivers can create a sleep debt causing chronic sleepiness by losing one to two hours of sleep a night.

Improving the Safety of Drivers, Passengers & Other Sharing the Road

Educating people about steps they can take to reduce driver fatigue risk could help reduce the incidence of fatigue-related accidents. Simple suggestions like getting enough sleep, not drinking alcohol when sleepy, and limiting driving between midnight and 6 a.m. might make a difference.

Motorists must recognize driver fatigue to decrease the potential of being involved in an accident. Sleepy drivers should stop and take a nap and have caffeine or have a passenger take turns driving.

Stimulants such as caffeine can mask how sleepy a person is when driving. Getting adequate sleep and preventing drowsiness our better than taking remedial measures.

Educating the public about safe driving is essential. Installed rumble strips effectively alert drivers of possible impairment. The number of driver fatigue-related accidents can be reduced if motorists take steps to avoid driving drowsy.

Hiring a Chicago Driver Fatigue car Accident Attorney

Were you or a family member involved in a severe car accident? If so, our Chicago automobile accident attorneys would like to speak to you regarding your legal rights.

Contact our law firm today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone call) or through the contact form to schedule a free consultation. Our team is experienced at prosecuting these matters and work hard to get to the underlying cause of the crash.

All discussions with our law firm remain confidential through an attorney-client relationship. Our Chicago car accident lawyers follow social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus).