Drowsy Driver Crashes, What You Need To Know
A very recent study by the AAA insurance company confirms there are more crashes caused by drowsy drivers than ever realized, and since it is a repeat study, it demonstrates a very concerning *increase* in prevalence, and that the numbers go up with severity, that is from just a crash, to an injury crash, to a fatal crash, the involvement runs 6%, 13%, to 21%, respectively.
The prior study showed 16.5% fatal crashes, but the new study comes up with a current rate of 21%; quite a substantial increase in only a very few years, not a good trend!
Current Drowsy Driver Crash Statistics
Of All Crashes
Of Injury Crashes
Of Fatal Crashes
AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety
“Drivers can barely keep their eyes open, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index. More than a third of drivers report having fallen asleep behind the wheel at some point in their lives, and more than one in ten has fallen asleep behind the wheel in the past year.
A Foundation study completed in November 2014 found the impact of having drowsy drivers on the road is considerable. Drowsy drivers are involved in an estimated 21% of fatal crashes, up from 16.5% from the previous 2010 study, as most drivers drift out of their lanes or off the road. Drivers themselves are often crash victims who die in single-car crashes.Drowsy driver behind the wheel
Click To View Report
Drivers have a near-universal understanding that driving when you’re too tired to keep your eyes open is risky. Almost every driver surveyed in our Traffic Safety Culture Index surveys – 96% — reported that they find driving while extremely drowsy “unacceptable.”
As with so many risky driving behaviors, too many people are inclined to apply their knowledge of drowsy-driving risks to others, but not themselves. Through our educational materials and outreach efforts, we hope to offer drivers strategies for managing the risks of drowsy driving and changing their own behaviors.”
Drowsy Driver Study Conclusion
Official government statistics suggest that 1.4% of all crashes, 2.2% of crashes that result in injuries, and 2.5% of fatal crashes involve a drowsy driver (NHTSA, 2011). However, the results of this study and several other studies suggest that the true prevalence is much higher. This study estimates that as many as 6% of all crashes in which a passenger vehicle is towed from the scene, 7% of crashes that result in any injuries, 13% of crashes that result in severe injuries requiring hospitalization, and 21% of fatal crashes involve a drowsy driver. Applying these estimates, conservatively, to all crashes nationwide in which a passenger is towed from the scene would indicate that an average of 134,000 crashes each year in which a passenger vehicle is towed, including 68,000 that result in injuries and 4,998 fatal crashes, involve a drowsy driver. If the results of the current study are generalizable to all crashes, this would imply that approximately 328,000 police-reported crashes each year, including 109,000 that result in injuries and 6,400 fatal crashes, involve a drowsy driver.