Drowsy Driving can be a significant factor in suspected OUI stops. This cross
examination line will help establish another likely cause for poor driving or
other behavior that instigated the traffic stop, having nothing to do with
impairment.
You'd agree that automobile accidents can occur without anyone having
consumed alcohol, wouldn't you?
In fact, you've probably investigated hundreds of automobile accidents,
haven't you?
Out of all those accidents you've investigated, only a small percentage
have involved alcohol, isn't that right?
Automobile accidents can be caused because the driver was distracted,
can't they?
They can be caused simply because the driver is a poor driver, can't
they?
They can be caused because of fatigue or sleepiness, can't they?
In fact, from time to time you have to change shifts on the job, don't
you?
And whether it is from shift changes or other reasons, you know that when
you don't get enough sleep that you become irritable and don't perform as
well.
In fact, that is why long distance truck drivers and airplane pilots have
limits on how long they can work without rest, isn't that right?
This is because people who are deprived of sleep have a slower reaction
time, isn't it?
People who are deprived of sleep don't perform well on attention-based
tasks, do they?
You would agree that driving is a very attention-based task, wouldn't
you?
People who are deprived of sleep are slower in processing information,
aren't they?
