We are pleased to publish the following guest post from Ellie Porter, the managing editor of SleepHelp.org

Sleep-Related Accidents: Who's at Risk and How to Prevent Them

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 795 people were killed in sleep-related accidents in 2017. However, that number is only a small fraction of the lives affected by drowsy driving. Police reports put the number of suspected drowsy driving accidents at 91,000 with nearly 50,000 injuries each year. 

People in certain age demographics and occupations are at an increased risk of driving while drowsy. Better awareness around this issue can help these drivers prioritize sleep so they don’t find themselves struggling while behind the wheel.

High-Risk Age Demographics

Two age demographics tend to be at higher risk for drowsy driving—teens and the elderly. Teens are notorious for staying up and sleeping in late. Active social lives are often blamed, but the problem lies in part with changes in the timing of the adolescent sleep cycle. 

Many teens experience a condition called sleep phase delay in which the start of the sleep cycle shifts by two hours. Instead of feeling tired at 9 pm, they don’t feel fatigued until 11 pm or later. Unfortunately, teens may also have early school start times, which means they get far less than the needed eight to ten hours of sleep. 

At the other end of the age spectrum are adults over the age of 55. As the body ages, the quality of the sleep cycle starts to deteriorate despite the fact that adults over 55 still need seven to nine hours of sleep. Older adults may also experience circadian rhythm changes due to dimming eyesight. 

The circadian rhythms rely on blue spectrum light from the sun to regulate the sleep cycle. As the eyes dim, not enough blue spectrum light enters the eyes to signal the circadian region of the brain. Consequently, sleep hormones may not be released at the correct time or at the right levels. It can mean poor sleep at night and drowsiness during the day. 

Occupations at High Risk

The human body is preconditioned to sleep when it’s dark and be awake in the light. Occupations that put people on the road when the body wants to sleep face a significant drowsy driving risk. 

Truck drivers, medical professionals, traveling business people, shift workers, and those who work long or double shifts comprise a growing number of people in this category. They find themselves on the road alone late at night and early in the morning when the body wants to sleep. If they haven’t gotten good sleep, which their occupations make it difficult to do, drowsiness is the natural result.

Sleep Tips for Those at Risk

Drowsy driving can be nipped in the bud with better sleep. Those at risk may have to take extra care to solidify and strengthen their sleep cycle, which can be done by:

• Getting comfortable. Teens, who may or may not be at full adult height, need a mattress that caters to their size and preferred sleep style. The elderly may need a model that reduces pressure points due to pain. They may also sleep better on a mattress that provides good edge support so that it’s easy to enter and exit.
• Creating the right bedroom conditions. For those who have to sleep during the day, bedroom conditions are vital. The room should be as dark as possible with the temperature between 60 to 68 degrees. If noise is an issue, a white noise machine or fan can reduce noise disruptions. 
• Keeping a regular sleep/wake schedule.  Everyone benefits from going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. A bedtime that’s preceded by a relaxing bedtime routine can help decrease stress and fully prepare the body for sleep.

Conclusions

Those at greatest risk for drowsy driving have to take more precautions than the rest of the population. However, anyone can find themselves driving while drowsy. A good night’s rest is the best way to make sure you’re ready and alert for the changing conditions you’re sure to find on the road. 

Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Cheasapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Sony E-mails Cause Controversy - Can They Be Published Legally?

I just read an article about whether or not the leaked Sony e-mails can be published legally. It can be found here - http://www.bostonherald.com/business/media_marketing/2014/12/the_legal_case_for_publishing_sony_emails It sets out a powerful argument detailing why anyone who wants to publish the Sony emails can probably do so without fear of breaking the law. However, the article does not address the issue of what Sony will do if a large volume of emails are published by someone with =out the resources of a large newspaper or other major news organization. Hiring a lawyer is an expensive proposition, particularly when you are dealing with First Amendment issues. So even if the individual might ultimately prevail in the courts, will the process bankrupt him or her? Perhaps the article's author is assuming that Sony will not really try to stop the publication of the emails because Sony knows that it will eventually lose. I would also like to read more on the ethical issues involved as the emails contain personal data on employees who are not public figures, even though their employer is a major international corporation. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Texting and Driving Laws Difficult To Enforce

The Lynchburg News and Advance reports that police are finding that the new Virginia ban on texting while driving is difficult to enforce. The police officer has to observe the driver texting in order for a violation to occur. In Central Virginia, only 40 convictions have been obtained for the offense since the law went into effect in July, 2013. In all of Virginia, there were around 650 violations of the law in the first 6 months after the law took effect, with even fewer convictions. And yet, driving while distracted, and texting while driving is very distracting, accounts for 20 percent of traffic accidents. Virginia has not done a very good job of educating the public about the law. When you enter Maryland, there are huge signs advising the driver that cellphone use while driving is not permitted. In Virginia, there are plenty of signs advising the driver that speed is checked by aircraft, when in fact, Virginia no longer uses aircraft to ticket speeding drivers. Those signs should be changed to warn drivers about the dangers of texting and driving. Teenage drivers are at particular risk because of their inexperience. it would help to remind them that they should avoid such risky behavior. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Accidents Caused by Texting and Driving

As a Virginia personal injury lawyer based in Charlottesville, Virginia, I have been surprised by the number of reports of recent car accident caused by drivers who are texting while behind the wheel. I suppose it is good for business, but such accidents are completely unnecessary, not to mention the fact that texting while driving is illegal. Even before such conduct was criminalized, it didn't make much sense. the driver who texts is like a drunk driver. Just today I was behind a car on the interstate that was slowing down rather markedly - from 70 to the mid-fifties - even though the speed limit had not changed. Of course, when I passed the car, I could see the driver using his smartphone to text. At least he stayed in his lane while texting. So often, the texting driver is straying into my lane of travel. There are several campaigns going on across the state that are designed to increase awareness of the dangers of texting and driving. Virginia still permits the use of a cellphone while driving, although many states, including Maryland and Washington, DC have placed limits on the use of a cellphone by a driver. In light of several recent studies that document the attention deficits of drivers using a cellphone, such restrictions are probably wise. If you have been injured as a result of a driver texting while driving or using a cellphone while driving, call me for a free evaluation of your case. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Tractor Trailer Accident Shuts Down I-64

A tractor trailer accident has shut down I-64 near Black CatRoad according to reports from the Charlottesville Daily Progress. Apparently five vehicles were involved including two tractor trailers. Unfortunately, the accident resulted in one fatality. The Progress reports that the accident happened when a tractor trailer failed to stop in time for a crash on the interstate that had already happened. The tractor trailer struck an SUV and there was a chain reaction crash. One vehicle burst into flames. This type of accident is not unusual on heavily trafficked portions of interstate highways. There have been recent attempts to limit the hours that truck drivers can operate their rigs and there have also been a number of laws recently enacted that focus on distracted driving, including texting and using a cell phone without a hands free device while driving. We don't know yet why the tractor trailer driver failed to stop. Since there was fatality, the investigation will be detailed and the cause of the accident should be determined. I have worked with the former lead investigator for the Virginia State Police in looking at accident causes. In an accident involving a tractor trailer, there are many sources of information. In this case, the speed of the driver before the accident could be a factor as well as the hours that he or she had been on the road. For most of us who travel the interstates on a regular basis, an accident like this on wis just an inconvenience. But for the people involved, it can be life changing. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Ban on Texting Lowers Injury Death Rate In Automobile Accidents

Personal injury lawyers and attorneys in Virginia and other states know all too well that a significant number of accidents are caused by drivers, particularly teenage drivers, who are trying to text and drive at the same time. The Washington Post reports today that a new study has concluded that "texting bans can reduce teen fatalities by as much as 11 percent." Virginia is one of the states that has such a ban in place. However, the study also found banning all handheld devices is the most effective way to reduce traffic deaths across all age groups. Thirteen states have such a ban. Virginia is not one of the states that bans all handheld devices. Our neighbors to the north, Maryland and Washington D.C., do have such bans in place. Hopefully, all states will realize that the use of handheld devices poses a risk to all drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians and so take measures to limit their use while driving. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

700+ Car Accidents And One Snowy Day

Snow and car accidents seem to go together. Monday's snow resulted in over 700 Virginia car accidents and a host of personal injury victims. The problem with a car accident caused by snow is that the at fault driver often says that it wasn't his or her fault, it was the snow that caused the car accident. However, such defensive statements must be analyzed in the context of all the facts surrounding the car accident. Was the other driver going too fast for the conditions? If so, snow is not a defense. Di d the other driver fail to clear the snow off their vehicle and so had limited visibility? Is so, the snow is not a defense. An experienced personal injury lawyer can assist you in looking at all the facts surrounding your accident and determine if there is a claim for damages. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News