Originally Posted by
Kerlenbach
A person who gets behind the wheel impaired by lack of sleep is no less dangerous. The problem, I suspect, is one of proof. It's fairly easy to detect alcohol and presume impairment; it's tougher to prove sleepiness. Morally, however, the person who drives while impaired by lack of sleep is exactly as culpable as one who drives while impaired by alcohol.
More than once, I'm driving and suddenly feel extremely drowsy (one reason i hate driving - it's extremely sleep inducing). Unless I pull off the road that
instant, I'm guilty of creating a dangerous situation on public roadways. Generally, I try to pull into a parking lot to get out and jump around or something, but that still leaves a minute or two (up to 40 minutes if i'm on the PApike) when I'm turning on the radio, opening the windows, slapping myself or such while half awake (i.e. very hazardously).
So, if I were to (supposedly) fall asleep and kill someone, I would certainly agree to some degree of punishment. Maybe it's just me, though, but jail time would be a bit much for not really doing anything wrong.