CONTACT:
Robert B. Baker, Esq., Zimmerman & Frachtman
(954) 504-6577
Zimmerman & Frachtman Supports Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
Parkland, FL – Zimmerman & Frachtman Supports the National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week (November 6 – 12), an annual public education and awareness campaign to prevent drowsy driving related crashes which account for one in six auto fatalities.
While many drivers are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving or texting and talking on a cell phone while driving, most are unaware of the dangers of drowsy driving. Sleepiness and driving are a deadly combination. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration driver fatigue leads to more than 1,500 deaths on the road each year and has contributed to 100,000 crashes and 71,000 injuries.
The National Sleep Foundation’s 2009 Sleep in America poll found that approximately 28% of Americans admitted that they have fallen asleep behind the wheel within the past year, and 54% said they have driven while drowsy.
Sleepiness can impair drivers by causing slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays in processing information. At most risk are young drivers, shift workers, commercial drivers, business travelers and people with untreated sleep disorders.
Here are some tips to help prevent you from falling asleep at the wheel:
- Don’t drive when you are sleepy
- Get enough sleep the night before
- Travel with a passenger
- Take a 20 minutes power nap
- Schedule breaks every 2 hours or 100 miles
- Avoid alcohol and medications that can cause drowsiness
- Avoid driving at times when you would normally be asleep
In June 2010, Florida signed House Bill 971 (Ronshay Dugans Act) into law designating the first week of September as Florida’s “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week” which encourages the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to educate law enforcement community & public about relationship between fatigue & driving performance.
Driving is a privilege and safety is not an accident. The attorneys at Zimmerman & Frachtman strongly encourage you to educate yourself on the danger signs for drowsy driving and know what to do in order to avoid drowsy driving.
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Zimmerman & Frachtman , a Boca Raton / Parkland civil litigation firm, focuses on Catastrophic Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Defective Products. The firm is headquartered at 6991 North State Road 7, Second Floor and may be reached at (954) 509-1900. Additional information about Baker Zimmerman & Perez, P.A. may be obtained from the firm’s website.