It is difficult to measure driver fatigue
It is well understood that driver fatigue is responsible for a significant number of car accidents, but determining an exact number and catching drowsy drivers who cause car wrecks is a challenge for law enforcement.
This can be the case for a number of reasons: the fatigued driver may not recall falling asleep behind the wheel before an accident, or refuse to admit to having done so, or in a worst-case situation, he or she may not survive the car accident that he or she caused.
The National Sleep Foundation notes that there is no scientific test for measuring the sleepiness or drowsiness of a driver like there is for intoxication.
Police officers have the ability to measure the blood alcohol content of a suspected drunk driver by using a breathalyzer, but there is no such device for measuring how tired a negligent driver was at the time of a car accident.
Having a police report that assigns fault to drivers for an accident because they fell asleep at the wheel would obviously be extremely beneficial in a civil suit. An experienced personal injury law firm may conduct its own investigation to help show that a careless driver fell asleep at the wheel.
Drinking and driving is illegal, but driving while tired is not; it is certainly plausible to imagine that many people risk driving when they are too tired.
If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by a driver you believe fell asleep at the wheel, obtaining a knowledgeable personal injury attorney can help you secure compensation for your injuries.