RSSSleepy Driver Causes Orlando Car Accident
A driver who fell asleep at the wheel was the cause of a fatal Orlando car accident on Sunday. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the accident happened on Interstate 4 near mile marker 98 in Seminole County.
The accident happened as the 24-year-old female driver was traveling westbound on I-4. When the driver fell asleep, her vehicle struck the right rear of a vehicle traveling directly in front of her. Upon impact, the sleeping driver’s car overturned, ejecting two 27-year-old female passengers – both of who were pronounced dead at the scene.
As is clear in this accident, driver fatigue, or ‘sleepy driver’, is a serious danger – one that is responsible for thousands of car accidents every year. This is because driving while tired impairs the driver’s reaction time, reduces overall attentiveness and slows down the ability for the mind to process and integrate information. When driving while tired, especially when driving long distances, the body will naturally start letting down its defenses to staying awake, making it more and more difficult for the driver to stay awake behind the wheel. Furthermore, statistics show that people between the ages of 16 and 29 are most likely to fall asleep at the wheel.
Falling asleep at the wheel or driving while tired can be considered an act of negligence – or even recklessness. If this negligence causes an accident which results in an injury to another person, then the driver can be held liable for these injuries. Thus, in the case at hand, the two deceased passengers, along with the occupants of the other vehicle (if injured), could sue the 24-year-old driver for damages. Because the two passengers were killed, this right to sue would pass to any surviving family who were dependent on the deceased for financial and/or emotional support.
If you or a loved one have been injured by a sleepy driver, then you have the right to be compensated for your loss. To ensure you get the compensation that you deserve, contact the experienced Orlando personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.