Falling asleep behind the wheel is leading to more crashes in Colorado
Colorado State Patrol said troopers are finding too many drivers falling asleep behind the wheel across the state. CSP tells CBS Colorado they saw a concerning jump in lane violation fatal and injury crashes in 2024 that were attributed to driver fatigue and drivers asleep at the wheel.
CSP is reporting 39 crashes in 2023 and 56 in 2024. This is a 43.5% increase.
CSP says while the hard numbers appear to suggest a small annual increase, as they look historically, troopers have seen a significant year-over-year increase since 2020 when there were only 27 lane violation crashes due to fatigue or a driver falling asleep. The percentage increase from four years ago is 107%.
Troopers say drowsy driving and driving under the influence are very similar. Both impact your reaction time, and ability to stay focused on the road and are 100% preventable.
Troopers say to prevent this issue; it starts by knowing the signs. This includes:
- Heavy eyelids or frequent blinking
- Frequent yawning
- Daydreaming and trouble focusing
- Drifting back and forth between lanes
- Hitting a rumble strip
- Drooping head
- Poor recall of the last few miles
- Missing signs or exits
- Restlessness, irritability, and aggressiveness, including tailgating
"A small nod off could be the difference between you going off-road and not seeing something in the road like an animal if you live in a rural area," Colorado State Trooper Gabriel Moltrer said. "It could also cause you to go into the lanes that another car is already occupying."
Troopers say to keep yourself awake, never slap yourself or use energy drinks. Pull over to a safe area and either stretch or take a 20-minute nap. If you are in the vehicle with a passenger who has a license, switch places if you are feeling too tired to drive.
