A West Plains, Missouri women apparently fell asleep at the wheel on I-44 early last Monday morning and the truck she was driving veered off the road. The vehicle rolled over and she was ejected. It was then several hours before she was spotted and subsequently airlifted to Cox South Hospital in Springfield with serious injuries.
Springfield car accident lawyers say this accident maybe one more of many which result from what is now being called Drowsy Driving and that this is an under-report and under-recognized problem on the Springfield, Missouri roadways as well as worldwide. Drowsy or sleepy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving and even tends to be more violent. This is because you cannot react at all if you are asleep versus the impaired reactions of driving-under-the influence of alcohol.
The National Sleep Foundation launched a campaign last November called Drowsy Driving Prevention week. And in light of Monday's accident on I-44, Springfield Accident Attorneys want to renew awareness efforts for Drowsy Driving and the dangers of sleep deprivation in general.
Early Signs to Help You Recognize Driver Fatigue:
- Daydreaming or long reveries
- Heavy eyes or frequent blinking
- Excessive yawning
- Stiffness or head dropping
- Driving over the center line or swerving
- Feeling impatient, restless, or aggressive
- Missing exits or traffic signs
- Slow reactions
- Losing track of time or the inability to remember the last few minutes of the road