Drowsy driving is one of the most underreported causes of terrifying, life-altering accidents on Fresno’s roads. One moment, you’re driving safely down Highway 99. The next, your life changes forever when another driver—who chose to get behind the wheel despite dangerous levels of fatigue—drifts across the center line and crashes into you. Unlike drunk driving, there’s no test to measure a driver’s fatigue, making drowsy driving accidents particularly challenging cases.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve been fighting for car accident victims throughout Northern California since 1981. Our experienced attorneys understand the devastating impact of drowsy driving accidents and are committed to helping Fresno victims secure the compensation they deserve while they focus on recovery.
What You Need to Know About Drowsy Driving
Fatigue behind the wheel is far more dangerous than most drivers realize. When you’re drowsy, your driving ability deteriorates:
- Slowed Reaction Times: Fatigue can delay your response to hazards by several critical seconds—the difference between avoiding a collision and causing one.
- Impaired Decision-Making: Similar to alcohol impairment, drowsiness affects your judgment and ability to make sound decisions quickly.
- Decreased Awareness: Drowsy drivers often fail to notice important traffic signals, other vehicles, or changing road conditions.
- Microsleeps: Perhaps most dangerous are brief episodes of sleep lasting 1-3 seconds—enough time to travel the length of a football field at highway speeds while completely unconscious.
Research from the National Sleep Foundation shows that being awake for 18 hours produces impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%, and after 24 hours, it’s comparable to 0.10%—well above the legal limit.
Drowsy driving poses particular dangers on Fresno’s major highways, where high speeds magnify the consequences of fatigue-related mistakes. The long, monotonous stretches of agricultural roads surrounding the city also contribute to driver fatigue, especially during harvest seasons when roads see increased traffic from tired farm workers and commercial vehicles.
Common Causes of Drowsy Driving
- Sleep Disorders: Conditions like sleep apnea and insomnia can severely impact sleep quality, leaving sufferers chronically fatigued even after a full night’s rest.
- Shift Work and Irregular Schedules: Fresno’s economy includes many industries operating around the clock, leading to workers commuting at unusual hours.
- Commercial Drivers: The pressure to meet tight delivery deadlines can push truck drivers to exceed safe driving hours.
- Agricultural Workers: During intense harvest seasons, farm workers may operate on minimal sleep while traveling to and from job sites in the early morning or late evening hours.
- Medication Side Effects: Many common prescription and over-the-counter medications list drowsiness as a side effect, yet drivers often fail to consider this risk.
- Young and Inexperienced Drivers: College students and young adults, particularly those attending Fresno State or Fresno City College, are among the highest risk groups for drowsy driving.
- Long-Distance Driving: Fresno’s central location makes it a hub for long-distance travel, with many drivers pushing beyond their limits to reach destinations on highways like CA-99.
Establishing Fatigue in Vehicle Accidents
Proving a driver was drowsy presents unique challenges, as fatigue leaves no chemical traces like alcohol or drugs. However, certain accident characteristics often point to drowsy driving:
- Absence of Skid Marks: Drowsy drivers who fall asleep often don’t brake before impact, leaving no skid marks at the accident scene.
- Single-Vehicle or Rear-End Collisions: These accident types are particularly common with drowsy drivers who drift off the road or fail to notice stopped traffic ahead.
- Timing of Accidents: Crashes occurring between midnight and 6 a.m. or during mid-afternoon “slump” hours (1-3 p.m.) align with natural periods of increased drowsiness.
- Commercial Driver Violations: For truck accidents, our attorneys examine logbooks for hours-of-service violations that indicate a fatigued driver.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our investigation process for potential drowsy driving cases includes:
- Analyzing cell phone records to establish the driver’s activities in the hours before the crash
- Interviewing witnesses about the driver’s behavior and appearance
- Reviewing work schedules and time cards if applicable
- Examining surveillance footage from businesses along the driver’s route
- Consulting with medical experts about the effects of medications the driver may have been taking
Liability and Compensation for Victims of Drowsy Drivers
To recover damages in a drowsy driving case, we must establish the four elements of negligence:
- The driver had a duty to operate their vehicle safely.
- They breached this duty by driving while fatigued.
- This breach directly caused your accident.
- You suffered damages as a result.
In cases involving commercial vehicles, liability may extend beyond the driver to include trucking companies or employers who encouraged unsafe driving schedules or failed to enforce rest periods required by federal regulations.
Why Choose Berg Injury Lawyers
Since 1981, Berg Injury Lawyers has built a reputation for aggressive advocacy on behalf of car accident victims throughout California. Our team offers several advantages to Fresno car accident victims:
- Four decades of experience handling all types of motor vehicle accident cases, from straightforward claims to complex multi-vehicle collisions
- Deep understanding of Fresno’s unique traffic patterns and accident hotspots, including the dangerous stretches of Highway 99 and the congested intersections near downtown
- Resources to thoroughly investigate drowsy driving claims, including relationships with accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, and other specialists
- Commitment to maximum compensation rather than quick settlements that may not cover all your needs
- Knowledge of commercial trucking regulations affecting Central Valley drivers and how violations of these rules can strengthen your case
Our attorneys have helped thousands of car accident victims rebuild their lives after serious crashes. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these incidents take on victims and their families, and we’re dedicated to easing that burden through effective legal representation.
No Fee Guarantee®
You might be worried about hiring an attorney because of the potential cost, but at Berg Injury Lawyers, if you don’t win, you pay nothing. There’s also no cost or obligation to hire simply to speak to one of our lawyers. We call that our No Fee Guarantee®.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a drowsy driving accident in Fresno, don’t wait to seek legal help. Acting quickly helps preserve crucial evidence and strengthens your case. Our compassionate team is ready to listen to your story, explain your options, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let us handle the legal complexities while you focus on healing. Our experienced attorneys are just a phone call away, ready to guide you through this challenging time with expertise and care.
