According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Survey 2023, Drowsy driving is a significant public health concern in the United States. Estimates suggest motor vehicle crashes related to drowsy driving account for roughly 20% of all motor vehicle crashes. Data from the AAA Foundation indicate that sleepiness is implicated in 21% of all motor vehicle crashes resulting in a death and 13% of motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospitalizations—totaling over 300,000 police-reported crashes, over 100,000 injuries, and as many as 6,400 deaths in the United States each year.
The estimated impact of drowsy driving is similar to the estimated impact of other well-known causes of impaired driving, including drunk driving. As such, it’s no surprise that drowsy driving is often called the “fourth D” among drunk, drugged, and distracted causes of impaired driving.
Driving while drunk, drugged, or distracted is illegal in every state in the United States. If a driver makes the decision to still do so, they are aware ahead of time that there with be consequences and penalties for their actions. However, there is currently no Indiana statue or law that penalizes a driver and holds them accountable for their negligence due to drowsy driving, even if their reckless actions result in the death of another human being.
On September 26, 2023, my family and I experienced firsthand the impact that drowsy driving can have. My mother fell victim to such recklessness when a 23-year-old man was dozing off behind the wheel over a stretch of rural 2 lane highway in Spencer County, Indiana. The other driver crossed the center line multiple times and ultimately hit my mother’s SUV head on at the crest of a hill. She succumbed to her injuries a few short hours later at the age of 68..
The reckless driver only received a ticket for Driving Left of Center and was fined $11.50 plus court costs for a total of $151.00 because Drowsy Driving is not named anywhere in Indiana’s Statutes as reckless or impaired driving. I am committed to bringing this topic before the Indiana General Assembly in order get the Reckless Driving Statute 9-21-8-52 amended to include Drowsy Driving. If such recklessness results in the death of another person, it shall qualify under Reckless Homicide Statue 35-42-1-5.
I ask you for your support to bring awareness of this senseless negligence. Please help get this proposal in front of the State Legislation and make Drowsy Driving a punishable offense and help victims and their families get the justice and closure that they deserve.
Sincerely
Stacey Lawalin
Daughter of Victim Debra Scherer
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 15, 2025
February 9, 2025
I just looked at the app and saw we hit a hundred signatures which feels honestly surreal because I started this in such a blur of tears and coffee. It feels like people are finally starting to listen to the truth about how dangerous this is and I am just sitting here staring at the screen in complete disbelief.
Reached 100 supporters
February 9, 2025
141 Comments
This loophole in the law needs to be fixed as this mom was senselessly murdered. The person who drove into her & killed her should have been held accountable. They made the decision, not once, but every minute they kept driving, to drive when they shouldn’t have. Those decisions killed this mom!
Nobody should be driving while bn so tired they r falling asleep at the wheel. If they choose to drive while bn that tired and hurt or kill someone cause they falls asleep and wreck then they need to be punished for it!
As a commercial driver, I see the effects of drowsy driving and people falling asleep at the wheel. If a truck driver were to fall asleep at the wheel and caused a death, there are severe repercussions. The same should be for EVERY DRIVER regardless of vehicle driven.
There needs to be stiffer laws regarding drowsy driving. It is simply reckless to be behind a wheel when drowsy, taking the life or injuring another person. Please please consider making this a law.
She was my oldest sister, somebody who ment the world to me. And now because somebody was driving dozing she gone and now I got a empty spot in my heart.
Praying for your family at this time.
I'm sorry for the loss of your mother I could never imagine losing mine
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According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Survey 2023, Drowsy driving is a significant public health concern in the United States. Estimates suggest motor vehicle crashes related to drowsy driving account for roughly 20% of all motor vehicle crashes. Data from the AAA Foundation indicate that sleepiness is implicated in 21% of all motor vehicle crashes resulting in a death and 13% of motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospitalizations—totaling over 300,000 police-reported crashes, over 100,000 injuries, and as many as 6,400 deaths in the United States each year.
The estimated impact of drowsy driving is similar to the estimated impact of other well-known causes of impaired driving, including drunk driving. As such, it’s no surprise that drowsy driving is often called the “fourth D” among drunk, drugged, and distracted causes of impaired driving.
Driving while drunk, drugged, or distracted is illegal in every state in the United States. If a driver makes the decision to still do so, they are aware ahead of time that there with be consequences and penalties for their actions. However, there is currently no Indiana statue or law that penalizes a driver and holds them accountable for their negligence due to drowsy driving, even if their reckless actions result in the death of another human being.
On September 26, 2023, my family and I experienced firsthand the impact that drowsy driving can have. My mother fell victim to such recklessness when a 23-year-old man was dozing off behind the wheel over a stretch of rural 2 lane highway in Spencer County, Indiana. The other driver crossed the center line multiple times and ultimately hit my mother’s SUV head on at the crest of a hill. She succumbed to her injuries a few short hours later at the age of 68..
The reckless driver only received a ticket for Driving Left of Center and was fined $11.50 plus court costs for a total of $151.00 because Drowsy Driving is not named anywhere in Indiana’s Statutes as reckless or impaired driving. I am committed to bringing this topic before the Indiana General Assembly in order get the Reckless Driving Statute 9-21-8-52 amended to include Drowsy Driving. If such recklessness results in the death of another person, it shall qualify under Reckless Homicide Statue 35-42-1-5.
I ask you for your support to bring awareness of this senseless negligence. Please help get this proposal in front of the State Legislation and make Drowsy Driving a punishable offense and help victims and their families get the justice and closure that they deserve.
Sincerely
Stacey Lawalin
Daughter of Victim Debra Scherer
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 15, 2025
February 9, 2025
I just looked at the app and saw we hit a hundred signatures which feels honestly surreal because I started this in such a blur of tears and coffee. It feels like people are finally starting to listen to the truth about how dangerous this is and I am just sitting here staring at the screen in complete disbelief.
Reached 100 supporters
February 9, 2025
141 Comments
I am so very sorry for your loss. I was involved in a head on collision where the other driver fell asleep at the wheel. I sustained injuries, which took 2 years for me to fully recover.
This loophole in the law needs to be fixed as this mom was senselessly murdered. The person who drove into her & killed her should have been held accountable. They made the decision, not once, but every minute they kept driving, to drive when they shouldn’t have. Those decisions killed this mom!
Nobody should be driving while bn so tired they r falling asleep at the wheel. If they choose to drive while bn that tired and hurt or kill someone cause they falls asleep and wreck then they need to be punished for it!
As a commercial driver, I see the effects of drowsy driving and people falling asleep at the wheel. If a truck driver were to fall asleep at the wheel and caused a death, there are severe repercussions. The same should be for EVERY DRIVER regardless of vehicle driven.
There needs to be stiffer laws regarding drowsy driving. It is simply reckless to be behind a wheel when drowsy, taking the life or injuring another person. Please please consider making this a law.
She was my oldest sister, somebody who ment the world to me. And now because somebody was driving dozing she gone and now I got a empty spot in my heart.
Praying for your family at this time.
I'm sorry for the loss of your mother I could never imagine losing mine
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I am so very sorry for your loss. I was involved in a head on collision where the other driver fell asleep at the wheel. I sustained injuries, which took 2 years for me to fully recover.