Ohio drivers like you do your best to keep safe on the road. Unfortunately, you cannot predict the behaviors of other drivers. This means you can end up faced with risks when you least expect it.
You can at least understand some of the potential sources of danger you may face. For example, drowsy drivers pose a great risk to you. But why is that, exactly? How are drowsy drivers a danger?
Drivers who do not get enough sleep are at risk
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examine the behaviors of drowsy drivers. The first thing they note is that drowsy driving is not limited to a certain age group. This automatically makes it riskier because drowsy drivers come from anywhere. The one thing tying drowsy drivers together is that they typically get less than 6 hours of sleep a night. According to that, some of the most at-risk groups include:
- Shift workers
- People with sleep disorders
- People with health disorders that affect their quality of sleep
- Those taking medication that result sin drowsiness
- Commercial vehicle drivers, and truck drivers in particular
Factors that make drowsy driving dangerous
This covers a large number of potential people. The wide spread is just one factor that makes drowsy driving so dangerous. Another factor is that drowsy driving is not as frowned upon as other forms of distracted driving. For example, DUI and texting while driving have massive campaigns against them. Drowsy driving is only just starting to gain notice.
Also, drowsy drivers actually share a lot of traits with DUI drivers. They struggle to concentrate, react to danger well, and notice risky situations. This puts everyone on the road at risk, including yourself.