The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 100,000 automobile accidents occur every year as a direct result of fatigued driving. Such accidents lead to approximately 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses annually. Because there is no foolproof way to determine whether or not a crash was caused by fatigue, some estimates suggest driver fatigue may be a factor in as many as one in four accidents. Research has shown that the levels of impairment created by sleep deprivation are comparable to those that occur with intoxication. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is the most important thing that drivers can do.
