The Driver Fatigue Statistics

Hitting the open road and driving down the sunset is undoubtedly a part of American culture. People get a driver’s license early on and become proud members of the driving community. However, it’s rarely recalled that road accidents take countless lives every year around the world, the U.S. included, and the causes vary from tiredness to not paying attention to the traffic. It is a big problem that is difficult to solve on a nationwide level, although improvements are implemented now and then, either by local authorities or the government in general. It’s not a secret that some countries are notoriously known for their reckless driving culture, and in the United States, it splits into states and cities, which have a certain reputation concerning driving habits, accidents, and fatalities on the road. Besides that, the nature of accidents fluctuates depending on whether it is a car crash or a massive truck accident, where both are horrible and oftentimes lead to either severe injuries or worse.

Not every crash leads to a fatal outcome, but if one imagines a heavily loaded truck colliding with a coupe, the picture looks gruesome. These sorts of accidents are often caused by the fatigue the truck driver experiences while either driving for too long or after the consumption of intoxicating substances. It poses a threat and puts the lives of others in danger, as the weary driver loses control of the heavy vehicle. Each year, these accidents take away many lives and leave even more people injured, and although this problem is projected to decline by 8.2% for road deaths, it’s still an important topic to be discussed in society.

At Accident Network, we’re committed to bringing justice for those who were severely injured or unjustly died due to negligence on the road. Our attorneys have the experience, dedication and resources to battle insurance companies and large corporations to get the maximum possible compensation for their clients. As a law group, we set out a goal to provide a data-backed answer to the question: “Which U.S. states have the worst fatigue problem leading to road accidents?”

Key Insights

• District of Columbia, North Dakota, and Hawaii are among the best states where fatigue accidents don’t take away lives and seldom happen, having 0 accidents in both truck and car data.
• Wyoming is the state with the worst fatigue problem, with 10.21 fatigue-related truck accidents and 18.72 car accidents per capita.
• Texas leads in both truck accident deaths (10 deaths) and car accident deaths caused by fatigue (81 deaths).
• Alaska is the second state with the worst car accident fatique problems, with 9.46 fatigue accidents per capita (3.3x higher than the national average of 2.84).
• Truck fatigue accident rates in Alabama (2.33) are 4x higher than the national average of 0.59.
• 80% of fatigue-related car accidents in Colorado ended with a fatal outcome (29 out of 36).
• A total of 7,081 truck accidents happened on U.S. roads in 2024.
• The highest number of fatigue-related death accidents on the road happened in the period from June to October, resulting in 6-9 deaths per month.

Cars: Fatigue-Related Fatalities by State

Passenger cars are among those that cause or are involved in accidents, and since every 9th American drives regularly, the problem of driver fatigue becomes a significant public safety concern. Naturally, there are varying factors involved when dealing with a car crash, but the insights gathered can shed light on which U.S. states have the most prominent issue with the road accidents.

#1 Wyoming – 18.72 per capita

The landlocked state in the Western U.S. has secured the 1st place in having the biggest issue with fatigue-related accidents. With 132 accidents, 11 were caused by fatigued driving, and all of these 11 led to a fatal outcome. It was revealed that Wyoming, with the population of nearly 600,000, has 18.72 fatigue-related accidents per capita, pointing to a noteworthy public safety concern.

#2 Alaska – 9.46 per capita

The northernmost state of the U.S. has taken the 2nd place in the fatigue-related accidents. Alaska registered 74 car accidents in total, of which 7 were attributed to fatigued driving, with 4 resulting in the unfortunate end. Alaska, with a population of nearly 750,000, has 9.46 fatigue-related accidents per capita.

#3 Alabama – 8.14 per capita

The state of popular songs in the southeastern part of the U.S. climbed into the top 3 by registering 1,230 car accidents, of which 43 were caused by fatigue, and 32 of those led to death. While Alabama has a population of 5 million, which is greater than in Wyoming or Alaska, it is obvious that there is a significant problem, since there are 8.14 fatigue-related accidents per capita.

As can be observed, the highest rates are concentrated in rural, sparsely populated states such as Wyoming, Alaska, or Kansas, and they share common characteristics, like long distances between destinations, limited public transport, and more interstate highways. The most probable bottom line is that the combination of geography, resource extraction economies, and long distances results in higher fatigue-related accidents.

Trucks: Fatigue-Related Fatalities by State

It will not come as a surprise that controlling a 50,000 to 80,000-pound vehicle is not an easy task, taking into consideration that the driver has to also combat both biological needs and stay attentive to the environment around. Truck drivers are perceived as a hard-working part of society, as every delay may lead to a business losing money or the driver losing their job. Unfortunately, the stress and pressure from the delivery deadlines can lead to skipping naps or rests, leading to fatigue, which may end tragically for both the driver and the surrounding participants of the traffic. Moreover, many other factors determine the nature of an accident, like whether the driver has a relevant license, training, or if the driver consumed anything before starting or during the run. The collected data offers a glimpse into the harsh reality that truck drivers face when embarking on a new haul.

#1 Wyoming – 10.21 per capita

Wyoming, similar to fatigue-related car accident rates, demonstrates the highest index of truck accidents. With a total population of 587,618 residents, Wyoming has 10.21 fatigue-related truck accidents per capita. There were 46 accidents in total, of which 6 truck accidents were caused by fatigue, and 2 of them resulted in a fatal outcome.

#2 Alabama – 2.33 per capita

Alabama earned the 2nd place in fatigue-related truck accidents. 150 truck accidents occurred during 2024 in total, and 12 cases out of them happened due to fatigue. In fact, 4 fatigue-related truck cases ended fatally (33% of all fatigue-related cases). With a total of 5,157,699 residents, Alabama demonstrates 2.33 fatigue-related truck accidents per capita.

#3 Vermont – 1.54 per capita

The Green Mountain state has the 3rd highest index of fatigue-related truck accidents. There were a total of 8 truck accidents, and 1 of them was caused by fatigue. Thus, Vermont has 1.54 fatigue-related cases with a total population of 648,493 residents. The fatigue-related accident rates in Vermont are 2.6x higher than the national average of 0.59.

In comparison to passenger cars, truck drivers face tougher conditions due to long-haul routes that demand multi-day trips, while trying to meet tight delivery deadlines. Moreover, monotonous highway driving causes drowsiness, and various economic incentives push the drivers to skip a rest or two, sacrificing safety. Wyoming and similar states showcase why geography matters for truck fatigue, as they serve as major interstate freight corridors (e.g., I-80 or I-25), and certain rural areas have less rigorous monitoring infrastructure or law enforcement.

Conclusion

All in all, fatigue-related accidents are a prominent issue in today’s U.S.A., and lots of people suffer serious injuries or pass away due to a biological need for rest. A person can lose focus on the road when driving for too long. Whether driving a passenger car or a heavy truck, fatigue will not make exceptions, and it is essential to take small breaks when making long trips. However, if one gets into an accident due to someone’s fatigue or inattentiveness, there’s no need to delay getting justice and compensation.

Full table: [Data] Fatigued Driver Problem Statistics

Methodology

Data for this analysis were obtained from the FARS 2023 National Dataset

by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The dataset includes detailed records of fatal motor vehicle crashes across all U.S. states.

For each state, we calculated the following:

• Total number of accidents and total deaths from the FARS 2023 dataset.
• Number of fatigue-related accidents and deaths caused by fatigued drivers, identified using the fatigue-related crash factors provided in the dataset.
• Fatigue-related fatalities per capita, standardised per 1 million residents, using state population data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2023 estimates).

All values were aggregated at the state level to allow direct comparison between regions, highlighting where fatigue plays the largest role in fatal crashes.