Traffic collisions can occur for many different types of reasons. Some people drive after drinking or taking drugs. Others let mobile phones or conversations with passengers distract them. Fatigue is also a persistent safety concern on modern roads.
Many people do not have enough time each day to fulfill all of their personal and professional obligations. People who have spread themselves too thin often sacrifice their sleep to perform job functions and care for their families. Unfortunately, that decision could significantly increase their risk of a major motor vehicle collision.
Fatigue while driving can lead to people falling asleep at the wheel or making the wrong decisions in traffic. Fatigued driving is possible at any time of the year, but the risk is somewhat higher in the fall and winter months.
How is driving fatigue seasonal?
The human body has a natural rhythm that dictates wakefulness and even metabolism. The body’s circadian rhythm aligns with the Earth’s orbit around the Sun in many ways. People tend to feel more tired and fatigued in the evenings when sunlight is low.
In the fall and winter months, the sun sets earlier and light levels are naturally lower due to the Earth tilting away from the sun. However, work and school schedules remain largely the same. People may have to be out on the road before the sun comes up in the morning and may drive home in the evenings while the sun is setting.
Their bodies may respond on a subconscious level to those low-light conditions. They may feel more fatigued than usual, especially in the afternoons as they return home from work. Their fatigue could increase their reaction times in traffic and make it harder for them to remain focused on driving safely.
Lower light levels also make adequate surveillance more challenging, which can lead to people failing to notice animals or pedestrians on the road. Drivers may need to make adjustments to their personal habits and schedules to reduce their drowsiness levels and likelihood of causing a collision.
Unfortunately, it may be very challenging to prove that a driver was drowsy unless they admit to feeling fatigued after a crash. However, motorists may be able to readily establish that another driver did something unsafe or failed to properly monitor their surroundings.
Holding drivers accountable for causing car crashes due to predictable seasonal risk factors can help people limit their losses. Both insurance claims and lawsuits are theoretically possible after fatigued drivers cause collisions.
