You hear about an accident that took place at 3:00 A.M.The car was traveling along and then seemed to drift into the opposing lane of traffic,hitting an oncoming car head on.Given the early morning time,you suspect that the driver of the car that drifted over the center line most likely experienced a __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the early morning time where most people tend to be asleep, it is possible that the driver of the car that drifted over the center line experienced a brief period of microsleep, which is an involuntary lapse into sleep that can last for a few seconds to a minute or more. This lapse in attention could have led to the accident. A hypnogogic or hypnopompic episode involves experiencing vivid hallucinations or sleep paralysis when transitioning between wakefulness and sleep, which is less likely to have caused the accident. Lapse in judgment could also be possible but is a vague option.

You Hear About an Accident That Took Place at 3:00