A fatal car accident in Love County, Oklahoma early in the morning on November 19, resulted in the death of one teenager and injured another Oklahoma teen, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) reported. According to the police report, driver fatigue may have played a role in the fatal Oklahoma car accident, a factor that causes …
A fatal car accident in Love County, Oklahoma early in the morning on November 19, resulted in the death of one teenager and injured another Oklahoma teen, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) reported. According to the police report, driver fatigue may have played a role in the fatal Oklahoma car accident, a factor that causes far too many injuries and fatalities every year. If you have suffered injuries in a car accident in Oklahoma City, or elsewhere in Oklahoma, contact our knowledgeable car accident attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit against the person found at-fault in the accident, in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and other accident-related losses.
Driver Fatigue May Have Caused Fatal Accident
According to OHP, the 18-year-old driver from Ardmore, Oklahoma, was traveling West on State Highway 32 around 3:30 in the morning, when his vehicle left the roadway. The driver reportedly overcorrected in an attempt to right his Nissan, but instead ended up rolling the vehicle. The passenger, another 18-year-old from Burneyville, Oklahoma, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The driver was ejected from the vehicle in the crash, and was flown to Plano hospital with unknown injuries. Too often, teens in Oklahoma and across the United States suffer serious injuries or are killed in devastating accidents caused by avoidable factors like speeding, alcohol, or something as simple as fatigue.
Effects of Driver Fatigue Similar to Driving Drunk
When a driver is tired behind the wheel, the risk of careless error, recklessness and inattention leading to a deadly accident increases dramatically. Unfortunately, according to a 2005 poll, 60% of adult drivers (about 168 million people) said they had driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the previous year, and more than one-third admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel. What many drivers don’t realize is the extent of harm they can inflict by operating a motor vehicle while tired. According to a revealing study conducted by researchers in Australia, being awake for 18 hours produced an impairment equal to a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%, and .10% after 24 hours – well above the legal limit of 0.08% in Oklahoma.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys Today
The National High Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 100,000 reported accidents in the United States are directly caused by driver fatigue every year, resulting in roughly 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries. If you have been injured in an Oklahoma car accident, or if you lost a loved one in such an accident, consult our reputable car accident lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center as soon as possible. Our law firm is located in Oklahoma City, and our car accident attorneys have extensive experience protecting the legal rights of car accident victims in the state. With our team of skilled car accident lawyers on your side, you can protect yourself and your family from further harm, and seek fair and timely reimbursement for your losses.