Roseville Drowsy Driving Accident Attorney

If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by a drowsy driver, it’s important to understand your legal rights and take legal action for an accident in Roseville as soon as possible. Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as drunk or distracted driving, which many people don’t realize. Victims of drowsy driving crashes may face mounting medical bills, lost wages, and months of pain or recovery. 

To protect your health and financial future, working with an experienced Roseville drowsy driving accident attorney can help you understand your options and hold the at-fault driver financially accountable.

What Leads to Drowsy Driving Accidents?

Drowsy driving continues to be a major danger on American roads. In 2023 alone, there were 633 lives lost due to crashes involving drowsy drivers. Most of these tragic accidents happen during the late-night hours between midnight and 6 a.m., as well as later in the afternoon, times when the body naturally battles fatigue and there’s a dip in alertness. Understanding what causes drivers to doze off or lose focus can help prevent these dangerous crashes. 

Lack of Sleep

The most obvious cause is not getting enough sleep, whether due to a busy schedule, family obligations, or simply underestimating the importance of rest.

Sleep Disorders

Conditions like sleep apnea or insomnia make it hard for a person to get quality rest, increasing the likelihood of fatigue during the day and behind the wheel.

Long Hours on the Road

Truck drivers, shift workers, or people facing long commutes may drive for extended periods without breaks, leading to loss of concentration and increased accident risk.

Medications and Substances

Some prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications can cause drowsiness as a side effect. Combining these with alcohol or ignoring warning labels only worsens fatigue. 

Monotonous or Nighttime Driving

Driving late at night, especially on empty highways, or going long stretches without variety in the scenery can reduce alertness and cause the driver to drift off.

Recognizing these causes can make a big difference in accident prevention and help prove negligence if you’ve been injured by a drowsy driver.

Who’s Legally Responsible For Drowsy Driving Accidents? 

Establishing legal responsibility for an accident, let alone a drowsy driving accident, isn’t always simple. While the drowsy driver frequently carries much of the fault, other factors can lead to additional liable parties. Here’s how responsibility for these crashes may be determined: 

The At-Fault Driver

A driver who knowingly gets behind the wheel while dangerously fatigued may be held responsible for breaching their legal duty to operate their vehicle safely. 

Employers

If the drowsy driver was performing job duties at the time of the crash, their employer might also be liable under the concept of “respondeat superior.” In egregious cases where an employer encourages unsafe schedules, fails to train about rest requirements, or ignores employee fatigue, the company can be held directly liable for its negligence. 

Commercial Motor Vehicle Carriers

Commercial trucking and busing companies must follow strict hours-of-service rules and carefully maintain logbooks or use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track their drivers’ hours. Ignoring these rules or pressuring employees to push past safe limits can make a company legally responsible if driver fatigue causes harm. 

Third Parties

Although rare, it’s possible that other entities could share the blame. If a crucial safety feature like a lane departure alert system fails because of poor maintenance, and that failure allows a drowsy driver to crash, a maintenance company or product manufacturer could be somewhat responsible for the incident. 

Comparative Negligence in Drowsy Driving Cases

California’s comparative negligence rule means you often have the right to recover damages even if you are found partly at fault for the crash. For example, if you were speeding and got into an accident with a drowsy driver because they also made a poor decision while driving, you could both be responsible. In this case, your compensation would be reduced by the percentage it is determined you are at fault. 

405.Comparative 

Fault of Plaintiff[Name of defendant] claims that [name of plaintiff]’s own negligence contributed to [his/her/nonbinary pronoun] harm. To succeed on this claim, [name of defendant] must prove both of the following:

1. That [name of plaintiff] was negligent; and
2. That [name of plaintiff]’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing [his/her/nonbinary pronoun] harm.If [name of defendant] proves the above, [name of plaintiff]’s damages are reduced by your determination of the percentage of [name of plaintiff]’responsibility. I will calculate the actual reduction

Because liability in these cases can quickly become complicated, it’s essential to have a knowledgeable Roseville truck wreck attorney’s guidance to ensure every potentially responsible party is identified and held accountable. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney to get started on your case.