By Bob Katzen

By the Numbers Edition

Research by AAA has found that vehicle crashes tend to increase in the days following moving the clocks ahead in the Spring as drivers get behind the wheel while sleep-deprived and with their circadian rhythms out of whack. Studies have outlined the risks associated with drowsy driving: drivers who slept for less than five hours the night before may have a crash risk comparable to driving drunk, and losing just a couple of hours of sleep can double the risk of a crash.

AAA says that official statistics on the prevalence of drowsy driving have long been underestimated since most drivers don’t admit to being drowsy after a collision. The group says that new research shows just how underreported these crashes are. According to a study, AAA estimates that drowsy driving is a factor in ten times as many traffic fatalities as traditional crash data indicates.

-2,692
—Number of crashes in Massachusetts between 2021 and 2023 where police indicated that drowsiness, fatigue or a driver falling asleep was a contributing factor.

30,000
—Number of people nationwide who died between 2017 and 2021 as a result of a drowsy driver.

18 percent
—Percentage of nationwide accidents between 2017 and 2021 that involved drowsy driving.

95 percent
—Percent of nationwide drivers who perceive drowsy driving to be very or extremely dangerous.

18 percent
—Of the 95 percent of drivers who perceive drowsy driving to be very or extremely dangerous, the percent who say they have engaged in drowsy driving in the past 30 days.