Driving while distracted is just as bad as driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Many people think that distracted driving only refers to something actively distracting the driver, like texting or trying to watch a video. What many don’t realize is that “drowsy driving,” which occurs when you’re too tired to concentrate on the road, is also a form of distracted driving. If you can’t pay attention to the road, you’re technically distracted. This affects your safety, and the safety of the other drivers — but it also affects your ability to get compensation from an insurance company if you are in an accident and you were the one driving while drowsy.

Drowsy driving may be responsible for about 10 percent of highway accidents. This figure is not that surprising when you think about how drowsiness can affect your mind. Nowadays people are getting less and less sleep, which means that accidents caused by drowsy driving will only increase.

Drowsy driving can be as bad as driving when drunk. You zone out, doze off, can’t control the car, and eventually drift into someone or something. Your reflexes are dulled, and you may find you can’t stay in your lane. What’s worse is that you don’t slow down to try to stay in control; you often end up driving just as fast as you were before (or faster) because your foot is still on the gas pedal.

Of course, injuries from a drowsy driving accident can be just as severe as those from a drunk driving accident. While many involve solo crashes where the driver is the only one injured, many other accidents involve additional vehicles and can result in severe injury or death to occupants in those other vehicles.

For your safety and the safety of others, it is important to remain awake and alert while driving. If you are the victim of someone who was driving while drowsy, don’t let their insurance company give you the runaround. Contact the Dinelli Law Firm in Albuquerque for a free consultation. The staff at Dinelli Law has experience in distracted driving cases and can help you to get the compensation you deserve.