The CDC reports that one in 25 adult drivers admit to falling asleep while driving, and many more admit to driving while they are sleep-deprived. It is estimated that as many as 6,400 people die each year in auto collisions that are caused by drowsy driving. In fact, the reaction time of drivers who are sleep-deprived is similar to those who drive while impaired.
A driver who has gone more than 20 hours without sleep is just as impaired as a driver with a BAC of 0.08 percent – the legal limit across the United States and Illinois. Many drivers may experience short, four to five-second periods of “micro-sleep” but do not think they are being unsafe drivers. Yet at typical highway speeds, a vehicle can travel the length of a football field during those four to five seconds.