The Dangers of Fatigue While Driving in Arizona
Every year, drowsy driving contributes to thousands of car accidents across the country. The 2024 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that about 91,000 police-reported crashes involve tired drivers each year, leading to 50,000 injuries and nearly 800 fatalities.
Unfortunately, Arizona is not immune to the issue. In fact, a review of NHTSA data from 2018–2022 ranked Arizona 9th in the nation for drowsy driving crashes. With just over 2 million licensed drivers, the state averaged 15.8 drowsy driving crashes annually, or 27% higher than the national average. Those incidents most often occurred during predictable “low-alertness” windows: 4–6 a.m., midnight–2 a.m., and mid-afternoon from 2–4 p.m.
Drowsy driving is a bigger risk than many realize. Losing just two hours of sleep affects your driving ability as much as having three beers. Fatigued drivers are three times more likely to crash — and in Arizona, where daylight fades early in the winter months and rush hour often falls after dark, the risks can multiply.
Arizona-Specific Concerns That Add to the Problem
While fatigue is dangerous for drivers everywhere, certain conditions make it an even bigger concern in Arizona.
- Higher-than-average crash rate: The state’s drowsy driving crash rate of 0.75 crashes per 100,000 is nearly one-third higher than the national average (0.59).
- No daylight savings: Because Arizona doesn’t observe daylight savings time, winter sunsets happen as early as 5:30 p.m. — right during rush hour — leaving more drivers on the road in darkness when natural fatigue often sets in.
- Sprawling commutes: Long stretches of freeway and desert highways around metro areas can lull drivers into fatigue.
These factors mean drivers must be especially proactive about recognizing and addressing fatigue before it turns dangerous.
Fatigue Can Be As Dangerous As Alcohol
Fatigue impairs drivers in much the same way alcohol does. After 20 hours without sleep, your reaction times, awareness, and judgment are as compromised as those of someone who is legally intoxicated. Even worse, a driver can experience “microsleep”, which is when you experience brief lapses in awareness and your brain shuts down for a few seconds. At highway speeds, that’s enough time to travel the length of a football field.
The good news is that your body typically signals fatigue before it becomes critical. Common warning signs include:
- Frequent yawning, heavy eyelids, or blurred vision
- Drifting from your lane or hitting rumble strips
- Missing road signs or forgetting the last few miles driven
- Difficulty maintaining a steady speed
- Irritability or restlessness behind the wheel
If you notice any of these signs, it is essential to know when not to drive. If you’ve slept fewer than four hours, been awake more than 18 hours, or are struggling to stay alert, the safest choice is to postpone your trip or arrange alternate transportation.
The message from an earlier blog post on Night Driving Safety bears repeating: before getting behind the wheel at night, or any time, make sure you’re awake and alert enough to drive safely. It is time to take action before fatigue leads to a crash.
The bottom line: if you must drive fatigued, you should pull over. It isn’t worth it.
What to Do If You’re in a Drowsy Driving Crash
Even the most careful drivers can’t control the actions of others. Don’t let the consequences of someone falling asleep at the wheel derail your life. If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by a fatigued driver, and wish to discuss the specifics of your case, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer at Bache Lynch Goldsmith & Mendoza.