St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer at The Cagle Law Firm Says CDC Survey Shows Drowsy Driving is a Serious Safety Threat - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer at The Cagle Law Firm Says CDC Survey Shows Drowsy Driving is a Serious Safety Threat

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SOURCE: The Cagle Law Firm

Zane Cagle, a Missouri personal injury attorney, urges drivers to take steps to avoid falling asleep at the wheel after largest-ever driver fatigue study shows over 4% of motorists admit to nodding off while operating a vehicle.

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) January 21, 2013

The results of the largest survey ever conducted on drowsy driving should cause concern for drivers in Missouri and throughout the country, St. Louis car accident lawyer Zane Cagle said today.

According to the recently released results of a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4.2 percent of 147,076 respondents admitted to falling asleep while operating a vehicle within the previous 30 days.

“To put this in perspective, chances are that a number of the vehicles you encounter every day while on your way to work or school are being driven by someone who has fallen asleep behind the wheel sometime in the past month,” Cagle said. “The CDC’s findings should be a literal wakeup call about the widespread danger posed by fatigued drivers on our roads.”

Cagle represents victims of car accidents with The Cagle Law Firm, a St. Louis-based personal injury law firm that serves clients throughout Missouri, southern Illinois, Kentucky and other states.

The CDC’s analysis involved data from a set of questions about insufficient sleep and driving habits. Adults in 19 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed as part of the study. Missouri and Illinois were among the states surveyed.

Researchers found that men were more likely to admit to driving drowsy than were their female counterparts. Younger drivers were also more likely to drive drowsy than were older motorists, according to the survey’s results. The survey did not include young drivers under the age of 18.

“Drowsy driving, or fatigued driving, is a much bigger problem than many people realize, and the CDC results are likely only the tip of the iceberg,” Cagle said. “In fact, the report admitted, as do most experts, that the rate of drowsy driving is probably higher than the official figures. Precise statistics are difficult to come by for a variety of reasons. People are often reluctant to admit that they fell asleep behind the wheel or are unaware that they nodded off while driving.”

However, Cagle said that the dangers associated with drowsy driving are clear, and motorists should take steps to avoid an accident caused by staying behind the wheel while too tired to drive safely.

The National Sleep Foundation lists the following warning signs that a motorist may be at risk of nodding off while driving:

  •     Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking or heavy eyelids
  •     Daydreaming or wandering and disconnected thoughts
  •     Trouble remembering the last few miles driven
  •     Missing exits or traffic signs
  •     Yawning repeatedly or rubbing his or her eyes
  •     Trouble keeping his or her head up
  •     Drifting from the lane, tailgating or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
  •     Feeling restless and irritable.

Some of the measures drivers can take to prevent falling asleep behind the wheel and causing a drowsy driving accident include:

  •     Get at least eight hours of sleep the night before they drive, particularly if they plan to take a long trip.
  •     Arrange to travel with a companion if possible so that they can take turns driving.
  •     Stop every 100 miles or every two hours.
  •     Avoid alcohol or medications before driving.
  •     Ask passengers to stay awake to talk to them while driving.
  •     Stop and take a 15-20 minute nap.

“Until all drivers recognize how serious and dangerous drowsy driving is, injuries and fatalities will continue to result from fatigued driving,” Cagle said. “When a drowsy driver causes injuries, or causes a family to lose a loved one, victims can turn to the civil justice system in order to hold the negligent driver responsible.”

He urged victims of drowsy driving accidents to seek help from an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer such as those at The Cagle Law Firm.

About The Cagle Law Firm
The Cagle Law Firm is a St. Louis personal injury law firm with an AV-rating by the distinguished Martindale-Hubbell legal directory. The firm serves clients in catastrophic injury cases in St. Louis and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, including the eastern Missouri and southern Illinois communities of Ballwin, Belleville, Chesterfield, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Kirkwood, Mehlville, Oakville, University City, Arnold, Columbia, Florissant, O’Fallon, St. Charles, St. Peters and Wildwood. The firm’s practice areas include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, construction accidents, railroad accidents, birth injuries, premises liability, wrongful death, defective products, workers’ compensation, chemical inhalation and dangerous drugs. The Cagle Law Firm is located at 211 North Broadway #2420, St. Louis, MO 63102-2793 (local phone (314) 276-1681). To learn more about the Cagle Law Firm, call (800) 635-3302 or use its online contact form.

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