When a car around you is moving strangely and potentially putting others in harm, you may wonder what is going on. Drowsy driving is a dangerous phenomenon that happens when the person in charge of a vehicle cannot properly operate it because of a lack of sleep or medications that make them drowsy.
Knowing when someone is driving drowsy can help you after an accident.
Drifting out of the lane
According to the United States Department of Transportation, sleepy drivers on wide open roads or very long roads, such as highways, can potentially be at risk for a crash. Since long roads can lull people into relaxing or taking their minds off of the cars in front of them, those who are sleepy can veer out of their lane.
This lowered state of attention is dangerous since drowsy drivers can make unsafe decisions as they fall asleep, like failing to move the wheel.
Sudden increase or decrease in speed
If you notice a car moving along at wildly different speeds, the driver may be struggling with drowsiness. This can influence them to stop at times when they accidentally slam the brakes or let the car speed up without stopping it. Since this person is falling asleep, their eyes may be closing and their mind may be not focused on the road.
Refusal to pull over and rest can lead to a drowsy person ramming into your car from behind or pushing it off the road and into a dangerous area.