BRIGHTON, Mich. - As a driver, we are al well versed in the dangers of drunk driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving and road rage... but what about drowsy driving? Did you know that drowsy driving is JUST as dangerous as drunk driving? A tired or fatigued driver is a dangerous driver according to multiple studies, including a recent NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) study that concluded there was up to 100,000 cases of drowsy driving incidents or crashes every year. Of those 100,00, there are an average 1,500 deaths and 70,000 injuries.
Contrary to popular belief, less than 1% of these fatigue related crashes or incidents are caused by semi-truck drivers due to a recent federal law that truckers can only drive for 10 hours in a 24 hour period. Did you also know that in a recent study nine out of ten North American police officers had pulled someone over they thought was drunk driving, but were actually just tired? Both drunk driving and drowsy driving have similar tell-tale signs. These include slower reaction times, decreased awareness, impaired judgement and increased aggressiveness.
So, how do you fight drowsy driving? It's easy, first you have to recognize it. Here are some tell-tale signs that you might need to pull over and take a quick cat nap!
- You cannot remember the last few miles driven.
- You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane.
- You keep pulling your vehicle back into your lane.
- Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected.
- You yawn repeatedly.
- You have difficulty keeping your head up and remaining focused.
- You tailgate.
- You miss traffic signs.
- You have barely avoided being in an accident.
At Brighton Ford, we want you to be the safe you can be while driving on the road, and that means recognizing that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. Thankfully, Ford Motor Company has come up with a few amazing technological safety features that help fight the fatigue! If you would like to learn more about these features, feel free to stop by your Howell Area Ford Dealership!
Brighton Ford is located at 8240 Grand River Ave. just north of I-96 in Brighton. We are a family owned and operated business that strives for customer satisfaction. For more information on Brighton Ford visit BrightonFord.com or give us a call at (800) 836-8206.
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There is no denial that drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. In both scenarios, you aren’t able to take decisions in time as you aren’t in your senses and the cases of drowsy driving are increasing everywhere around the world. My cousin works with a DUI attorney Los Angeles and keep telling us about it.
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