Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers | August 28, 2026 | Drowsy Driving
Key Takeaways
- Severe fatigue can seriously impair driving. Extremely tired drivers can briefly fall asleep or lose awareness without realizing it.
- Maryland does not have a specific “drowsy driving” offense, but fatigued drivers may face other traffic charges depending the circumstances and whether a crash occurred.
- Frequent yawning, difficulty focusing, drifting from your lane, missing exits, inconsistent speed, and trouble remembering the last few miles are all warning signs to stop driving.
- Some drivers face a higher risk of drowsy driving.
Did you know that driving when you’re extremely tired can impair you in ways similar to driving under the influence of alcohol? Research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) shows that after being awake for 17 consecutive hours, “impairment is equivalent to having a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .05. After 24 hours awake, impairment is equivalent to a BAC of .10.” Drowsiness can slow reaction times, reduce attention, impair judgment, and make it harder to drive safely. Severe fatigue can cause microsleeps; these are brief, involuntary episodes of sleep that can happen without warning and last anywhere from a fraction of a second to several seconds.
Why Drowsy Driving is as Dangerous as Drunk Driving
Alcohol affects the brain by impairing thinking, reasoning, coordination, perception, and decision-making. Severe sleep deprivation can cause impairments comparable to those caused by alcohol intoxication, including slower reaction times, reduced attention, and impaired decision-making. Being tired isn’t the same as being drunk, but the comparison shows that severe sleep deprivation can impair your ability to drive far more than you might realize.
Can You be Cited For Drowsy Driving in Maryland?
Maryland doesn’t have a specific offense called “drowsy driving,” but a driver can potentially be cited, depending on the circumstances. Common charges related to drowsy driving in Maryland, include:
- Negligent driving
- Reckless driving
- Traffic violations caused by fatigue (e.g., failing to stay in a lane, unsafe lane changes)
- More serious charges if an accident occured
What Are Some Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving?
- Frequent yawning or blinking
- Difficulty keeping your eyes open or focused
- Drifting into another lane or onto the shoulder
- Missing road signs, turns, or exits
- Difficulty remembering the last few miles you drove
- Slower-than-usual reaction times
- Trouble maintaining a consistent speed
- Difficulty keeping your head up
- Feeling distracted or having trouble concentrating
- Experiencing brief “microsleeps” or moments when you lose awareness of the road
What Should You Do If You’re Too Tired to Drive?
The safest thing to do is to not drive if you’re too tired. If you become drowsy behind the wheel:
- Pull over to a safe location
- Take a break; a short nap can help make you feel more alert
- If possible, take another way home (e.g., a rideshare, taxi, public transportation, a friend or family)
Which Motorists Are Most at Risk For Drowsy Driving?
Certain people are at higher risk for drowsy driving, including:
- Who are sleep-deprived
- Young drivers, especially males under 25
- Shift workers with irregular schedules
- Commercial long-haul drivers
- Individuals with untreated sleep disorders (i.e., sleep apnea)
- Business travelers with jet lag
Drowsy Driving Accident & Injury Attorneys in Maryland
Severe fatigue can impair a driver’s judgment, reaction time, and ability to stay focused that are comparable to alcohol impairment, but they are different charges. Drunk driving can be tested through a BAC or field sobriety test, however, there isn’t a test that determines when a driver is “too tired” to drive.
If you were in an accident or given a citation because you were driving while drowsy, contact our Maryland drowsy driving and personal injury injury attorneys 24/7 for a free consultation by calling us at (301) 720-1309 or filling out our online form.
We have offices in Waldorf, Rockville, Lanham, and Frederick, and proudly serve clients in Prince George’s County, Calvert County, Frederick County, St. Mary’s County, County, Charles County, all of Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
FAQs
Who most often falls asleep while driving?
Young drivers, shift workers, commercial drivers, people who are sleep-deprived, and those with untreated sleep disorders are those at greatest risk of falling asleep behind the wheel.
How many accidents are caused by drowsy driving each year?
Estimates suggest that around 100,000 crashes may involve drowsy driving each year, but NHTSA notes that official crash data likely underestimates how many motorists are really driving while tired.