Fighting drowsiness when driving is something most seasoned drivers have experienced, and probably feel uneasy about. Feeling sleepy or fatigued behind the wheel is extremely unpleasant, as drivers know that giving up the fight could be devastating. You have the impression that the overwhelming fatigue just won't go away - no matter how much fresh air or coffee you take in - and that the boring ride will never end.

Yet, few Wisconsin drivers make the easiest choice, which is to pull over, stop and take a 15-minute nap.

A study on drowsy driving over the 2005 to 2009 period showed that the number of fatalities due to drivers falling asleep or being drowsy, sleepy or fatigued dropped from 1.194 in 2005 to 832 in 2009. During the same period, the estimated number of victims injured in crashes attributed to the same causes declined from 42,000 to 30,000. There are, however, a number of limitations with respect to determining drowsy driving as the cause of a car accident:

• Police accident reports vary from state to state, and within a state. Some consider fatigue as a condition of the driver, while others include fatigue as an attribute of distraction;
• Lack of firm evidence probably results in under-reporting of drowsy driving. In an investigation done after the crash, drivers could be unaware or even reluctant to admit that drowsiness played a role in the crash, while deceased drivers obviously can't tell their story;
• A factor of over-reporting may stem from the fact that drowsiness is better accepted as a cause of accidents than alcohol use, speeding or distraction.

But falling asleep while driving should not be acceptable, because it is entirely preventable: just stop driving. A 15- to 20-minute power-nap goes a long way to re-energize your body.

If you know you will have to travel long hours and many miles, there are things you can do to prevent drowsiness. Prevention starts when you become aware of what causes you to feel drowsy: alcohol, driving after a heavy meal (during digestion), certain types of medication, long hours of work and accumulated lack of sleep.

If you have been hurt in a Wisconsin or Illinois car accident, contact Hupy & Abraham, S.C. today at 800-800-5676 (toll-free) or 414-223-4800 (local) for a free evaluation of your case, or send us an e-mail with your questions. Hupy & Abraham has offices in Milwaukee, Madison, and Appleton in Wisconsin, and Gurnee and Bloomington in Illinois.