Falling asleep at the wheel is just as serious of a problem as drunk driving here in San Diego County. Just this past Sunday, March 22, a driver fell asleep at the wheel of a Toyota Tundra, which went on to roll down a steep ravine off of I-15, near Fallbrook. The truck was carrying two other passengers. The front seat passenger, identified as Oscar Sandoval Jimenez, 23, of Moreno Valley, Riverside County, was thrown from the front seat and died at the scene. The driver and the second passenger were taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. You can read more about this Fallbrook car accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.
The three individuals involved in this San Diego County auto accident were driving at around 3:15 a.m., which is a time when most San Diegans are asleep. According to a report released by the Insurance Bureau of Canada a driver who has not slept in 24 hours is as impaired to drive a vehicle as someone with an alcohol level of .1%. The Bureau’s report also shows that the people most affected by fatigue at the wheel are young men, new/young drivers, workers with shift or split-shifts, people with sleep disorders, and of course people who’s lifestyle does not allow them to sleep enough.
Since many of us San Diegans commute every day to work, school, or run errands, a good night’s rest is necessary before getting behing the wheel. Not sleeping well before driving places yourself, your passengers, and others on the road in danger.