With each passing year, the data confirming the dangers of driver fatigue continue to grow. Yet for some inexplicable reason, transportation officials have been noticeably remiss in addressing this serious problem. Pilots, train operators, bus drivers, truck drivers, and car drivers often operate motor vehicles in a state of sleep deprivation, jeopardizing the safety of millions of individuals. Considering the nationwide crackdown on driving under the influence and distracted driving, the lack of action to address driver fatigue is that much more shocking.
The evidence is irrefutable. Driver fatigue dramatically increases the risk of a motor vehicle accident, whether involving a car, bus, truck, plane, or train. During the past four decades, pilot fatigue has led to more than 320 airplane accidents. Approximately 750 people have died in these accidents. While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has made 138 fatigue-related airline safety recommendations, the U.S. Department of Transportation has been slow to put them into practice. To date, only 68 of these recommendations have been adopted.
Data related to truck driver fatigue has produced similar evidence. A 1993 NTSB study showed that driver fatigue caused more truck accidents than driving under the influence. There were 3,311 truck accidents examined in this study, and approximately 30-40% of them were related to truck driver fatigue. Furthermore, about half of all single-driver truck accidents occurred between 2 am and 6 am; 75% of these accidents were attributed to driver fatigue.
In order to address these dangers, the NTSB made 34 recommendations to address driver fatigue among operators of trucks, buses, and automobiles. Only 17 of these recommendations have been adopted.
Sleep deprivation studies performed in various countries around the world have demonstrated that driver fatigue leads to similar impairment as driving under the influence. A driver who has been awake for approximately 24 hours exhibits impaired functioning similar to a driver with a blood alcohol level of 0.10.
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have evaluated the functioning of sleep deprived pilots. Their evidence indicates that sleep deprived pilots:
- Have a slower response time
- Lose focus more easily
- Are unable to juggle multiple tasks at once
- Exhibit poor judgment, particularly in regard to risk assessment
- Have a narrowed field of focus
In light of all of the evidence supporting the dangers presented by driver fatigue, it is imperative that the Department of Transportation address this issue in a timely matter. The safety of drivers and passengers across the country depend on it.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a fatigued driver, please contact the Washington, D.C. accident attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation.
