Our Phoenix readers may not know that according to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control, sleep deprivation is a public health epidemic. The CDC estimates that between 50 and 70 million adults have sleep or wakefulness disorder. Sleep deprivation or issues such as sleep apnea, cause industrial disasters as well as medical and other occupational errors.

Falling asleep at the wheel also occurs and can injure the driver as well as innocent bystanders or other motorists. Recently a driver in Phoenix reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, causing a truck accident and injuring one person.

The accident took place on 14th Street and Utopia Road in Phoenix. Police state that the driver of a pickup truck veered out of his lane towards another pickup truck which was parked with a man standing next to it. The allegedly sleeping driver drifted into the pickup truck and struck the man who was standing next to it.

The injured man was taken to an area hospital and was being treated for injuries of an unknown nature. His current condition was not reported.

The driver of the pickup truck has not yet been charged with any crime, and drugs or alcohol use were not reported. Apparently the driver had just gotten off of his night shift when the accident occurred. Falling asleep at the wheel is a dangerous problem. According to the National Department of Transportation, sleep deprived driving results in 1,550 fatalities and 40,000 personal injuries each year.

In this particular case, the man standing near the pickup truck could pursue civil litigation to collect damages for the personal injury he suffered.

Source: AZCentral, "Phoenix police: Driver who fell asleep caused crash; 1 injured," Cassondra Strande, July 11, 2012