Modern lifestyle has seen subsequent changes in the recent decades where every aspect in life of many people is under lot of strain. We are constantly adapting our lives to suit the rising demands and expectations, and in this all mayhem our health gets neglected. The effect of our unhealthy lifestyle is evident on our dependency on fast food, devices and medicines. In this, we cannot negate use of sleeping pills incorporated in our hectic and stressful lifestyle that comes with the promise of mush needed sleep. But that is only the sunny part of the story as its darker shades are being revealed over time with the upcoming research on the side effects of sleeping pills. Yes, there can be even grave consequences of using sleeping pills which can cause car accidents.
There were many studies conducted to observe the threat of sleeping pills causing motor vehicle accidents, and statistics is quite clear! Sedative drugs such as Ambien (sleeping pills) increases the risk of accident as it affects human neurological system. Other sleeping pills that contain Temazepam, Trazodone, Zolpidem are also very popular drugs which on one side relaxes our mind but on the other – it makes things complicated for many drivers. Many hospitals have also recognized this fact. Sleeping pills, especially Ambien, cause tiredness even during day time, and that is one of the reasons why car accidents have increased in Canada.
Nowadays, people are proactive seeking ways to improve their health, and good quality sleep is the only way to improve it. Sadly, people think that sleeping pills will tend to increase the sleeping duration but it comes with the price tag in which health may be affected adversely. It is the main reason why pharmacists and doctors need to inform about the potential risks related with sleeping pills to patients. They should also use minimum amount of dosage in the beginning to avoid auto accidents and other troubles.
There are many different risks associated with sleeping pills, even if you are using them as a treatment. There is no denying that sleeping pills affect your mind and reduces insensitivity of its functioning which induces sleep. But that disturbs the natural flow of bodily rest and hormones that repair our muscle tissues. It is the main reason why people face lot of drowsiness the next day. If you are driving under such condition where your mind is not alert to threats then possibility of a car accident becomes real. In case you have faced serious car or road accident because of sleeping pills then you can hire a personal injury attorney to file an insurance claim for compensation.
What are the reasons why people are opting for sleeping pills?
There can be many reasons, as every person has his/her own physical condition and its impact on their sleep but here are some examples of why people opt for sleeping pills:
- Hectic work schedule – Nowadays, most people have a very hectic work schedule followed by their own personal priorities and that is why they don’t have enough time to enjoy natural sleep. It is the main reason why they opt for sleeping pills to enhance their resting time. Once they start using pills then they can’t regularize their natural sleeping pattern. Such situations lead towards serious health issues and tiredness. If you are driving next day after using sleeping pills then you definitely may face serious troubles in controlling your car. There are numerous examples when people meet serious road accidents because they have used sleeping pills. Thus, you should avoid taking sleeping pills or at least seek doctor’s advice before using any kind of them.
- Illness or Insomnia – There are many physiological or other medical conditions where health care specialists prescribe sleeping pills for improving people’s health but you should discuss about such pills and their side effects with your doctor. Most of sleeping pills have lots of side-effects and you can face mental fatigue during their usage. You should try to convince your doctor to opt for very little dosage for your treatment. You should also avoid driving during your treatment or till you stopped using sleeping pills.
- Quick sleep – Most people want to enjoy long term sleep but due to lots of stress they can’t really sleep properly and start using sleeping pills for quick sleep. You should avoid using sleeping pills without prescription because they can slow your reaction time while driving. Lapse in concentration for even few milliseconds can lead towards a serious car accident and that is the main reason why you should avoid that.
Without any doubt, intake of sleeping pills is quite often correlated with motor vehicle accidents. There are many effects of these pills that we are going to discuss here under which lead to mishaps on the road. Different dimensions associated with intake of sleeping pills are as follows:
- Misconception of insomnia People have become very much aware of their health issues and insomnia is the biggest problem that 2 out of 5 Canadians are facing at the present moment. Normally, people think that sleeping pills can eliminate their problems but sleeping pills tend to increase those problems. According to stats, there is rise in sales of sleeping pills and accidents in Canada in past two years. Every human being is different and that is why there are different reactions to sleeping pills. You should consult with your doctor to understand more about which sleeping pills are best suited to you personally. You should also follow traffic rules strictly for protecting your life and lives of others on the road.
- Overdose of sleeping pills There are cases when car accidents take place when a driver has taken the overdose of sleeping pills. Drowsiness caused by such a big dose of pills becomes the primary cause of mishaps on the roads. Drivers under effect of these pills tend to lose control of their mind and subsequently of the voluntary muscles. Control of a vehicle is impossible in such conditions.
- Sleeping pills without prescription There are many people who take sleeping pills without prescription, and for them the situation is all the more serious. When they take pills unsupervised they also cannot anticipate the effect of these pills which when taken to extremes can lead to medical complications. Also, when such ignorant souls are behind the steering wheel, it is an open invitation to unfortunate events for sure!
- Body adaptability The effect of sleeping pills is often correlated with body’s adaptability of the user. If your body is reactive to sleeping pills or the sedative effects, it is more then surely its adverse aftermath is inevitable, especially while driving.
- Reduced reaction time It is clear that sedative quality of sleeping pills reduces our reaction time. Reaction time is the time required by the mind to send a signal to the body to take the right action to avoid some mishap. This aspect often becomes the root cause of many dreadful accidents on the road.
- Coordination problems in mind and body Poor coordination between the body and mind is another effect of taking sleeping pills. You certainly cannot be sure that you will have proper control over your body once you start taking these pills.
- Problems with decision making The cognitive aspect is affected due to the intake of sleeping pills and that can cause a lot of problems in decision making. We cannot work properly if we are under this mental state for long. When this mental state persists while we are driving, it increases the risk of a car accident, and the person is unable to take right decisions before and after it.
- New users New users of sleeping pills also create lots of problems for other drivers, as they are facing such drowsiness for the first time. They face serious troubles in understanding their driving skills at least for one year. According to stats, most of accidents happened during usage of sleeping pills are caused by new users.
- Concentration problems Using sleeping pills leads to concentration problems and that certainly makes things troublesome for people on the road.
There are many other reasons which indirectly affect drivers who use sleeping pills. According to researchers, more that 56% of motor vehicle accidents happened in Canada involve people who use sleeping pills. That is why you should pay great attention towards your health and visit your doctor on consistent basis in order to avoid such unfortunate scenarios.
What you should do after a car accident involving usage of sleeping pills?
There is no clear guidelines provided in the Law for motor vehicle accidents that occurred due to sleeping pills usage but you can make your own claim very strong by following few basic steps which are as follows:
- Take pictures of your vehicle and your injuries after the accident. This can become a solid proof for your case which showcases that you were a victim of someone else’s fault.
- You should visit a hospital after the car accident as soon as possible in order to get proper treatment. Even if you feel all right on the first go then also you should visit a hospital to avoid any further medical complications.
- Contact the police as soon as possible. You should stay in a safe position (away from the road) until the police arrive. In case you have lost your consciousness and you were taken to the hospital for medical attention then you must contact the police regarding the details of your car accident.
- Provide true and detailed information about your accident. Don’t manipulate facts as that can create lots of problems for your case.
Most importantly, you need to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible in order to start your claim and get a fair compensation amount. If you are a victim of a motor vehicle accident where the driver was under influence of sleeping pills, then it is high time that you locate professional and experienced legal services – an attorney will help you in guiding in the right direction. It is important that you get a consultation on time so that you can start with legal proceedings within the limitations which exist. You should keep all that in mind if you want to receive a decent compensation amount for your injuries in the car accident.
You need to be proactive in compiling the evidence and proofs that make your case solid. You should also keep in mind that proper documentation is important and for that you need help of experts. Take an initial consultation with a prospective attorney and see to it that it helps you through and through. Hiring an experienced attorney will play an indispensable role on all fronts. It will help you in paving your way towards successful legal proceedings and compensation. Moreover, when you have right people working in your favor, you will find it a cake walk to lay your hands over effective evidences and reports. It is observed that it’s not easy to bring into limelight the medical reports which prove that you have been a victim of the driver who was under effect of sleeping pills. Also, in cases where you are the person who suffered the dire consequences of the pills and has been lead to the accidental situation then also you should not delay in seeking the helping hand of an expert attorney.
You should never ignore the importance of legal support and services that can bring light even in your darkest of house. Car accidents bring with them a lot of damage that ranges from medical injuries, financial loss and psychological sufferings to loss of income and others. You certainly entitled for compensation for the damage you have to suffer due to somebody else’s fault.
Now the good news is that you don’t have to worry about the legal expenses because there are lawyers and legal firms that take payment only after they have won the case for you. You can take the sigh of relief as there is no added stress given to you by your lawyer. In fact, if you carefully make your selection of legal services, you will substantially reduce your troubles and make your way towards desirable results and compensation that takes care of your loss and damage in the car accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident and needs top-level representation and care, please call motor vehicle accident lawyers at
1 (844) 722-5246 or Book your FREE consultation.