Governor James McGreevey recently signed a new statute making New Jersey the first state to recognize fatigued driving as a crime if it leads to a fatal accident.

"Maggie's Law," could significantly increase the legal risks employers face from extended hours operations, according to Circadian Technologies.

Under the new law, a sleep-deprived driver who causes an accident, after being awake for more than 24 hours, can be convicted of vehicular homicide. Employers could be liable in cases of drowsy employees who work long hours, high amounts of overtime, double-shifts, or even 24-hour on-call periods at their employer's request, according to Circadian.