VERONA -- A Verona man is accused of falling asleep while driving and causing a crash that left several people hurt.
It happened just before 6 p.m. Tuesday night on State Route 31 near Ostrander Road in the Town of Verona.
State Police say 27-year-old Chad Hitchings II, of Seneca Street in Oneida, was driving a 1998 Dodge Caravan northbound on Route 31 when he fell asleep at the wheel, causing his car to drift into the southbound lane and collide nearly head-on with a 1990 Chevrolet van driven by 22-year-old Christine Hubbard, of Sylvan Beach,
A third vehicle, a 2011 Kia Rio, driven by 74-year-old Esther Hughes, was behind Hubbard and was unable to stop, hitting the rear of her car after it was hit by Hitchings vehicle.
Hubbard lost control of her car, flipping over. She was extricated and transported to St. Luke's Hospital in Utica with leg and hand injuries. Her passenger, 31-year-old Kurt Merithew, of Sylvan Beach, was also taken to St. Luke's for evaluation.
Hughes was taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Utica with chest pain.
Hitchings was treated at the scene and taken by private vehicle to Oneida Healthcare for evaluation. He was issued tickets for failure to keep right and aggravated unlicensed operation. He's scheduled to appear in Verona Town Court on August 2nd.
Ironically, the crash happened during Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, a public awareness campaign put on the the National Sleep Foundation to educate drivers about sleep safety.
A new study finds it's more common then you think. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drowsy driving is behind one in six deadly crashes.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates drowsy driving results in 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and more than 100,000 accidents each year. Read more here.
According to a 2009 poll by the Sleep Foundation, one-third (28 percent) of Americans admitted they've fallen asleep behind the wheel within the past year. More than have (54 percent) say they've driven drowsy.
Here are warning signs you're too tired and need to pull over:
- Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking and/or heavy eyelids
- Difficulty keeping reveries or daydreams at bay
- Trouble keeping your head up
- Drifting from your lane, swerving, tailgating and/or hitting rumble strips
- Inability to clearly remember the last few miles driven
- Missing exits or traffic signs
- Yawning repeatedly
- Feeling restless, irritable, or aggressive
Read more about how to avoid drowsy driving.
Are you concerned about people falling asleep behind the wheel? Have you ever done it? Why do you think it's so pervasive? Leave your thoughts below.
