With the National Safety Council (NSC) at the helm and thousands of other safety organizations on board, June has officially become National Safety Month.
As a criminal defense law firm in New York, we believe there’s no better way to prevent incidents than to be aware in the first place.
National Safety Month follows a weekly theme, where the NSC provides resources on the following topics:
- Week one: hazard recognition
- Week two: slips, trips, and falls
- Week three: fatigue
- Week four: Impairment
Fatigue Safety Tips From Our Law Office
In honor of National Safety Month, we’re providing a few tips you can follow to help you and the people around you to stay safe. This week, we’ll focus on fatigue-related safety tips.
As criminal defense attorneys, we handle cases every year that involve fatigue as a form of impairment — especially while operating motor vehicles. The more you know about the risks and prevention tactics associated with fatigue, the more likely you are to avoid an impaired driving situation.
Fatigue Risks
According to the NSC’s resources on fighting fatigue, there are a few risk factors when it comes to being fatigued. They include:
- Missing out on sleep — despite popular myths, your body never really catches up on sleep. The more sleep you miss, the more you’ll notice a decrease in cognitive performance (such as memory, accuracy, and judgment).
- Chronic sleep disorders — when you lose sleep for a prolonged period of time, you’re more likely to develop other chronic health issues.
The Effect Of Fatigue On Everyday Life
Being fatigued isn’t just a matter of being tired — it’s a matter of sacrificing valuable cognitive functions like attention, memory, concentration, and judgment. In a nutshell, being fatigued impairs your ability to drive according to the law.
In fact, the NSC reports that driving while tired is similar to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You’re four times more likely to get into an accident if you’re driving on only four to five hours of sleep.
Methods To Fight Fatigue
Luckily, there are a few tried-and-true ways to prevent fatigue.
- Limit alcohol — alcohol is a depressant, so it makes us feel sleepy at first. While it might help you fall asleep, it’s linked to interrupted circadian rhythms and decreased sleep quality.
- Limit caffeine — avoid caffeine for at least six hours before bed.
- Sleep in the right environment — you might feel chilly at first, but sleeping with the temperature lower really helps you to get a better night sleep
- Limit screens — blue light deters our brains from producing melatonin, the hormone responsible for relaxation and sleep.
The Law Office Of Lisa Pelosi in New York
As the Top Rated Local® criminal defense attorney in New York, the Law Office of Lisa Pelosi believes that education is an integral aspect of the criminal justice system. Keep checking out our blog for more National Safety Month tips.
If you’re in need of a criminal defense attorney in New York, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.
