Fatigued driving accidents pose a significant threat on the roads, endangering the lives of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike. Operating a vehicle while fatigued can impair one's ability to concentrate, react quickly, and make sound decisions. The consequences can be devastating, often resulting in severe injuries and fatalities.

How Does Fatigue Affect a Driver’s Ability to Safely Operate?

When a person is fatigued, whether due to sleep deprivation, long working hours, or an untreated sleep disorder, their cognitive functions become impaired. Fatigue slows down reaction times, decreases alertness, and impairs judgment, making it difficult to respond promptly to changing road conditions or unexpected situations. In fact, studies have shown that driving after being awake for 18 hours is comparable to driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 percent, which is nearing the legal limit in Illinois.

Consequences of Drowsy Driving

The consequences of fatigued driving accidents can be severe. Drowsy drivers can fall asleep at the wheel, leading to catastrophic collisions. Even a momentary lapse of attention can cause a driver to veer into another lane, colliding with oncoming traffic, or rear-end another vehicle. Studies have shown that a person driving 55 mph who takes their attention off the road for even just five seconds will travel the length of an entire football field during those moments. Imagine the devastation that can occur during those five seconds of a drowsy driver whose eyes are shut. The high-speed nature of these accidents often results in more severe injuries compared to other types of collisions.

The term “seat belt syndrome” refers to injuries that can occur as a result of wearing a seat belt during a car accident. These traumas can be detected by seat belt marks on the body, such as harm to organs in the stomach, such as bowel perforations, and fractures in the vertebrae in the chest and lower back. These marks have become known as “seat belt signs” and are commonly present in emergency department cases involving internal injuries. 

How Does Seat Belt Syndrome Occur?

Seat belt syndrome is when the body experiences sudden deceleration forces, causing the spine to hyperflex around the lap strap. This can result in the intra-abdominal contents being crushed between the spine and the seatbelt. The fixed portions of the bowel are more vulnerable to injury as they cannot escape the high pressure, resulting in damage.

If somebody in the vehicle is not wearing a seatbelt, this increases the risk of injury or death by 40%. It is essential to put on seat belts in both the front and back seats as they considerably lower the risk of severe injury or death in case of an accident. Studies have shown that using lap and shoulder belts can reduce the risk of fatal injuries to front-seat occupants by 45%.

Driving is a daily activity for most Americans, but unfortunately, the familiar routines people follow can put them at risk of being involved in car accidents. When people drive on the same roads or in the same areas every day, they may fail to fully pay attention to traffic and what is happening around them. They may become tempted to engage in other activities while driving, or they may let their minds wander, causing them to miss important details. Despite laws that prohibit the use of cell phones or other electronic devices by people who are in control of motor vehicles, distracted driving is still very common, and it can lead to serious accidents that may cause injuries to others. People who have been injured by distracted drivers will need to understand the steps they can take to address the damages they have suffered.

Addressing Different Types of Distracted Driving

To ensure that they will be able to remain in control of their vehicle, respond to changing conditions on the road, and avoid accidents, drivers should always be fully engaged in the act of driving. They must be able to pay attention to the road, remain in control of their vehicle, and respond to other vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles, weather conditions, obstacles in the road, or anything else that could affect them.

Unfortunately, there are numerous distractions that can affect drivers and limit their ability to drive safely. These distractions may include:

Rollover car accidents are an extreme form of a traffic accident that occurs when a vehicle gets flipped upside down and is propelled into a deadly roll. Rollover accidents are not particularly common, as the ingredients for such accidents usually involve extreme forces acting upon the car. These powerful forces cause the vehicle to flip over and be sent rolling. Unfortunately, most vehicles' roofs are not strong enough to withstand the force and pressure involved in rollover accidents. As a result, the occupants of vehicles involved in rollover accidents are often subject to extremely severe injuries, like traumatic brain injuries or even wrongful death.

Suppose you have been involved in a rollover accident that was another driver's fault. In that case, it is more probable that the other driver was negligently operating their vehicle, which resulted in you sustaining injuries. Because of this, you may be entitled to compensation which can be used to pay for your current and future medical bills relating to the injury, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. If you have been involved in a rollover accident, contact an experienced attorney who can help you pursue compensation while also protecting your rights. 

Negligent Driving Behaviors That Can Cause a Rollover Accident

As stated previously, rollover accidents are often the result of extreme forces acting upon a car. These extreme forces may have been caused by the following:

In the United States, thousands of people are seriously injured or die in truck accidents every year. In Illinois, interstate highways, such as the highways that intersect across the Chicago area, can be extremely deadly, especially if there is a traffic stop causing other traffic to slow down. In addition, other variables, such as construction or even debris on the road, can result in catastrophic accidents. 

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, you may be at a loss for what to do. The most important thing you can do if you have been injured in a truck accident is to hire a knowledgeable truck accident attorney who can protect your rights and pursue compensation against any negligent parties involved.

The Importance of Hiring an Attorney After a Truck Accident

 Many unique issues must be handled and dealt with in the aftermath of a truck accident. Experienced attorneys know how to work through complex issues and are privy on how to: