We’ve all been there—after a long day at work, or on the way to work, you find yourself fighting to keep your eyes open to focus on driving. In Texas, where most people own a car and driving is a regular part of getting around and commuting, Texas drivers are especially susceptible to these accidents because of how much time is spent on the road. Whether it was stress from the day or a restless night of sleep the night before, drowsy driving is dangerous and can often lead to fatal consequences. Unfortunately, Texas drowsy driving accidents are more common than you may expect.
According to a recent report, fatal drowsy driving accidents continue to be a widespread public safety issue in the United States. Between 2010 and 2018, drowsy driving accidents killed 7,392 people nationwide. In total, 22% of these accidents occurred on Texas highways and interstates, making the state home to America’s most drowsy drivers. Although the number of fatalities caused by these accidents has decreased since 2010, the number of accidents in Texas continues to be nearly four times greater than the state with the next greatest percentage of fatalities. On the state’s busiest, traffic-heavy roads, there were ten times more fatal crashes than the national average.
When it comes to drowsy driving accidents, people 25 to 34 are most susceptible to these crashes. Nearly 16% of victims from 2010 to 2018 were in this category, making this statistic especially troubling. Because a single accident stemming from drowsy driving is likely to kill more than one person, the lethal nature of these accidents must be emphasized.