Most people have gotten behind the wheel of their vehicle when tired on some occasion. It can be extremely difficult to avoid – such as when you drive home after a night out or have to drive to work early for a meeting that has kept you awake worrying all night.
Yet, if more people realized how dangerous driving while tired can be, they might think twice about doing it again.
Some reports suggest driving while tired is similar to driving while drunk
The more alcohol someone drinks, the worse a driver they become. The more fatigued someone is, the worse a driver they become. The mechanism behind both is similar. Tiredness and alcohol slow your thinking and your reaction time, which could mean you hit a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or car that you could otherwise have avoided.
Is it realistic to expect drivers to refrain from taking the wheel every time they are tired? Probably not. However, it is reasonable to expect drivers to take measures to mitigate the risk their tiredness can cause, for example, by slowing down to allow themselves more time to react, winding the window down to let cool air in to keep them alert or stopping to take regular breaks if driving far.
It is also reasonable to expect insurers to pay up if you can show a driver who they covered injured you because tiredness affected their driving. However, you will probably need legal help to ensure they do so and pay you the full amount you are due.