How many crashes are caused by sleepy or fatigued drivers?
It is estimated that sleepy and/or fatigued drivers are responsible for 4% of fatal crashes and about 20% of non-fatal crashes. In Canada, fatigue is listed as a causal or contributing factor for over 2,000 drivers involved in fatal or injury crashes. This estimate is on the conservative side as there is a lack of a simple, readily available means to assess the extent of driver fatigue and drowsiness. Of note, in 2004 some 20 percent of drivers in Canada admitted to falling asleep or nodding off at the wheel during the last 12 months. Source: Stutts et al. (1999) Why Do People Have Drowsy Driving Crashes? Input From Drivers Who Just Did. Washington: American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety. Source: Traffic Injury Research Foundation Database. Excludes Quebec.
