On the road, a devastating accident could leave you with a life-altering injury and you could become immobilized or face other serious hardships. Sadly, many accidents claim lives. Serious collisions continue to occur for a variety of reasons, but many of these wrecks happen due to drowsy drivers. Driver fatigue is especially dangerous because it can cause drivers to doze off or fall asleep while driving, which can lead to a serious collision (such as a head-on crash).

After all, falling asleep behind the wheel for just a few seconds can cause a driver to veer into traffic or go off the road, especially while traveling at a high rate of speed.

Statistics on the impact of drowsy driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that in 2020, drowsy driving caused 633 fatal accidents, based on estimates. Estimates also suggest that in 2017, almost 800 people lost their lives and roughly 50,000 suffered injuries due to drowsy driving.

However, the NHTSA reports that many experts believe that these figures do not reflect the actual number of drowsy driving injuries and deaths. Pinpointing driver fatigue after an accident can prove challenging, and many experts believe far more people become hurt and killed due to drowsy driving.

Other data on drowsy driving

Most often, drowsy driving crashes happen from 12 AM to 6 AM, and in the late afternoon. Many drowsy driving collisions occur on roads in rural places and frequently involve only a single individual. If a drowsy driving crash has caused you or a loved one to suffer a catastrophic injury, it is pivotal to go over your options carefully.