Does Auto Insurance Cover Falling Asleep at the Wheel?

Last Updated on February 15, 2024

Driving is a huge responsibility. As soon as you get behind the wheel of a car and start driving, there is a chance that you could be involved in an accident. As such, every motorist is expected to use the utmost care while operating a motor vehicle. This includes ensuring that you are driving defensively, following the rules of the road, and keeping distractions to the absolute minimum.

Accidents can occur for several reasons. Some of the most common causes include:

• Speeding
• Not obeying traffic signals
• Texting while driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

There’s another cause of collisions that many people are not aware of. What is it? – Falling asleep behind the wheel.

It can happen to anyone. We all live such busy lives, and too many people aren’t sleeping for the recommended 8 hours they should be every night. When you’re overtired and you get behind the wheel of a car, you are putting yourself and others in danger. Why? – Because there’s a real possibility that you could fall asleep behind the wheel.

Falling Asleep While Driving = Major Catastrophe

Be honest: how often have you been driving and felt your eyes getting heavy?

If you’ve felt drowsy while driving, you’ve probably noticed that you aren’t paying as much attention to the road as you should be. Your reflexes are slow, and it’s also likely that you’ve started veering out of your lane. Driving while drowsy significantly increases the risks of an accident; however, if you fall asleep behind the wheel, it’s almost guaranteed that a collision will occur. Even if your eyes are closed for a few seconds, you could cause irreparable damage.

If you’re asleep behind the wheel, there’s a real chance that you could run a red light, cause a head-on collision, drive into a building or pole, or hit a pedestrian. These are just some of the events that can unfold, and none of them will result in “minor” injuries. Falling asleep behind the wheel can result in significant damage and severe or even life-threatening injuries.

If you’ve fallen asleep behind the wheel and are lucky enough to survive, you’re almost certain to face severe financial upheaval. You will be held liable for any accidents, damages, and injuries that you cause. You could also end up dealing with lawsuits. The costs of falling asleep while driving are almost guaranteed to be exorbitant.

You might think, “Thank goodness I have insurance!” But will your auto insurance provider cover the cost of damages, injuries, and litigation? Read on to find out.

Will Your Auto Insurance Cover You?

Generally, an accident resulting from falling asleep while driving would be covered by your liability auto insurance. However, your insurance provider will only be responsible for paying the limits of your policy. For example, if the limits of your liability policy are $25,000 for property damage and $50,000 for bodily injury, yet you are being sued for $500,000, you will likely still be in a serious financial situation.

Nevertheless, if you fall asleep while driving and cause a crash, it’s important to contact your insurance provider as soon as possible to find out how you are protected.

Avoiding Serious Issues

If you think you risk falling asleep behind the wheel, you might want to consider purchasing an umbrella policy. If you do end up causing a crash and the limits of your liability policy are maxed, an umbrella policy would kick in and cover the remaining cost.

Of course, even if you have an umbrella policy, the hope should be that you will never have to rely on it. Even if your policy will cover all damages, injuries, and litigation, the results of an accident that can occur when you fall asleep while driving can be irreparable. For instance, you could end up taking someone’s life, and no amount of money will ever fix that.

To avoid serious problems, reduce the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel.

Ways you can reduce the risk include:

• Making sure you get the proper amount of sleep each night
• Improving your sleeping habits
• Avoid driving for long periods
• If you are going to be driving for a long time, take frequent breaks
• Don’t operate a vehicle if you are taking medications that are known to cause drowsiness
• Pull over if you start to feel drowsy, and take a nap in your car

Most importantly, avoid getting behind the wheel completely if you feel exhausted before you start driving. Even if your insurance will cover you, it’s just not worth the risk.