Study: Drowsy Driving May Be Leading To More Car Crashes

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Americans aren't getting enough sleep, and a new study finds drowsy driving is leading to many more car crashes than previously thought.

Previous government estimates put drowsiness as a factor in one to two percent of accidents.

But a new study from triple a finds that number is much higher.

After analyzing thousands of dash cam videos similar to these, researchers determined nearly 10 percent of crashes can be blamed on drowsy driving.

AAA's William Horrey says getting only four hours of sleep at night can have an affect similar to driving drunk.

"You might have sluggish responses, you might not be able to keep the vehicle in the lane as well as you should," Horrey said.

Government figures show 35 percent of us drivers don't get the recommended minimum of seven hours of sleep every night.