The Deadliest U.S. Counties for Drowsy Driving-Related Fatalities

Driving while sleep-deprived is dangerous, not only for the driver but for other drivers and passengers on the road. Statistics show that thousands of Americans are injured in drowsy driving accidents every year, and many Americans cite drowsy driving to be a significant fear while on the road. Do you know which areas of the U.S. have the most fatalities related to drowsy driving?

Our research team at NapLab analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to determine which U.S. counties had the highest rate of drowsy driving-related fatalities between 2013 and 2022 compared to population.

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Table of Contents
US Counties With Most Fatalities | Drowsing Driving Stats | What To Do If You Feel Drowsy | US Counties With Most Fatalities by Category

Which U.S. Counties Have the Most Drowsy Driving Fatalities?

When compared to population size, the county with the most fatalities related to drowsy driving—in counties with more than 500,000 residents—is Jefferson County in Alabama. It has a population of 665,409 and had 22 drowsy driving-related deaths between 2013-2022. That’s a drowsy driving fatality rate of 3.31 per 100,000 people. Jefferson is the largest county in Alabama and is home to the Birmingham metropolitan area.

Second on the list is Kern County, CA, which has a population of more than 900,000. There were 28 drowsy driving-related fatalities during that time period, for a rate of 3.06 per 100,000 residents. The county seat is Bakersfield, which is also the largest city in the county. It is home to many large highways including Interstate 5, which runs from the Mexican border in the south to the Canadian border in the north.

Coming in third is El Paso County in Colorado. It is the most populous county in Colorado and home to Colorado Springs, which is the second-most populous city in the state. It has a drowsy driving fatality rate of 2.97 per 100,000. It also has many highways that run through it, including Interstate 25, which is also known as the Ronald Reagan Highway.

Fourth on the list is Montgomery County in Texas. The drowsy driving fatality rate in this county is 2.51 per 100,000 residents. Montgomery County is part of the Houston metropolitan statistical area. There are many major highways that run through the county, including Interstate 45. I-45 is 284.9 miles long and, despite its name, is located entirely in the state of Texas.

The fifth-ranked county of over 500,000 residents on the list is Adams County in Colorado. The drowsy driving fatality rate in this county is 2.46 per 100,000 people. The county seat is Brighton, and the county’s most populous city is Thornton. Some of the major highways in the county include Interstate 25, Interstate 70, Interstate 76, and Interstate 225.

Additional Drowsy Driving Statistics

For counties with 150,000-500,000 residents, these are the counties with the highest drowsy driving fatality rates:

1. Bastrop County, TX: 20.72 fatalities per 100,000
2. Coconino County, AZ: 13.19 fatalities per 100,000
3. Midland County, TX: 20 11.63 fatalities per 100,000
4. Hunt County, TX: 10.16 fatalities per 100,000
5. Liberty County, TX: 9.80 fatalities per 100,000

The drowsy driving-related fatality rates for counties with 25,000-150,000 people:

1. Gillespie, TX: 40.03 per 100,000
2. Milam, TX: 1039.02 per 100,000
3. Walker, AL: 2132.64 per 100,000
4. Cass, TX: 931.54 per 100,000
5. Sweetwater, WY: 31.44 per 100,000

For counties with populations of 5,000 to 25,000, these are the counties with the highest drowsy driving fatality rates:

1. Pecos, TX: 190.02 per 100,000
2. Reeves, TX: 178.23 per 100,000
3. Madison, TX: 157.23 per 100,000
4. Refugio, TX: 150.78 per 100,000
5. Winkler, TX: 150.56 per 100,000

Texas counties rank very highly for drowsy driving deaths across many population categories. The state has many long, major highways, much of which stretch through rural areas that are quite dark at night. These factors may contribute to their high rankings. Which of these drowsy driving stats are most surprising to you?

What to Do If You Feel Drowsy While Driving?

Falling asleep while driving is obviously very dangerous. Do you know what you should do if you’re driving and start feeling sleepy? Here are some tips on how not to fall asleep behind the wheel:

• Don’t drink alcohol and drive. Alcohol tends to make people drowsy and it is dangerous (and illegal) to drive while impaired.
• Drink a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage. Keep in mind that these effects are only temporary and should only be used as a boost towards the end of your journey.
• Pull over and take a roadside nap. Find a safe, well-lit place to park and take a short nap to help you feel more alert. Learning how to get to sleep faster can help you take a quick nap.
• Stop at a hotel for the night. If you are having serious trouble staying awake behind the wheel, consider renting a hotel or motel room for the night until you are fully recharged. The risks of drowsy driving are not worth getting to your destination sooner.
• Get enough quality sleep before your journey. The best way to limit your risk of becoming drowsy behind the wheel is to get a quality night’s sleep on a quality mattress before you get in the car. Take a look at our mattress reviews and mattress comparisons to find the best mattress for you.

Counties with the Most Fatalities Related to Drowsy Driving by Population Category

Deadliest Counties For Drowsy Driving Fatalities in Counties With 500,000+ Residents

Rank	County	State	Number of Fatalities (2013-2022)	Population	Rate Per 100,000
1	Jefferson	AL	22	665,409	3.31
2	Kern	CA	28	916,108	3.06
3	El Paso	CO	22	740,567	2.97
4	Montgomery	TX	17	678,490	2.51
5	Adams	CO	13	527,575	2.46
6	Prince George’s	MD	23	946,971	2.43
7	Spokane	WA	13	549,690	2.36
8	Travis	TX	30	1,326,436	2.26
9	San Bernardino	CA	48	2,193,656	2.19
10	Riverside	CA	51	2,473,902	2.06
11	Bexar	TX	42	2,059,530	2.04
12	San Joaquin	CA	16	793,229	2.02
13	Lancaster	PA	11	556,629	1.98
14	Kent	MI	13	659,083	1.97
15	Fresno	CA	20	1,015,190	1.97
16	Arapahoe	CO	12	655,808	1.83
17	Williamson	TX	12	671,418	1.79
18	Jefferson	CO	10	576,143	1.74
19	Dallas	TX	42	2,600,840	1.61
20	Davidson	TN	11	708,144	1.55

Deadliest Counties For Drowsy Driving Fatalities in For Counties With 150,000-500,000 Residents

Rank	County	State	Number of Fatalities (2013-2022)	Population	Rate Per 100,000
1	Bastrop	TX	22	106,188	20.72
2	Coconino	AZ	19	144,060	13.19
3	Midland	TX	20	171,999	11.63
4	Hunt	TX	11	108,282	10.16
5	Liberty	TX	10	101,992	9.8
6	Ellis	TX	20	212,182	9.43
7	Matanuska-Susitna	AK	10	113,325	8.82
8	Etowah	AL	9	103,088	8.73
9	Navajo	AZ	9	108,650	8.28
10	Gregg	TX	10	125,443	7.97
11	Penobscot	ME	11	153,704	7.16
12	Weld	CO	25	350,176	7.14
13	Grayson	TX	10	143,131	6.99
14	Laramie	WY	7	100,723	6.95
15	Ector	TX	11	160,869	6.84
16	Smith	TX	16	241,922	6.61
17	Kennebec	ME	8	125,540	6.37
18	Douglas	OR	7	112,297	6.23
19	Hanover	VA	7	112,938	6.2
20	Imperial	CA	11	178,713	6.16

Deadliest Counties For Drowsy Driving Fatalities in For Counties With 25,000-150,000 Residents

Rank	County	State	Number of Fatalities (2013-2022)	Population	Rate Per 100,000
1	Gillespie	TX	11	27,477	40.03
2	Milam	TX	10	25,628	39.02
3	Walker	AL	21	64,339	32.64
4	Cass	TX	9	28,539	31.54
5	Sweetwater	WY	13	41,345	31.44
6	Luna	NM	8	25,749	31.07
7	Cibola	NM	8	26,950	29.68
8	Atascosa	TX	15	50,864	29.49
9	McLennan	TX	17	57,843	29.39
10	Palo Pinto	TX	8	29,239	27.36
11	Albany	WY	10	38,031	26.29
12	Grimes	TX	8	30,754	26.01
13	Erath	TX	11	43,895	25.06
14	Wilson	TX	13	52,735	24.65
15	Jefferson	OR	6	25,330	23.69
16	Medina	TX	12	53,723	22.34
17	Washington	ME	7	31,437	22.27
18	Hale	TX	7	31,827	21.99
19	Navarro	TX	12	54,636	21.96
20	Hill	TX	8	37,329	21.43

Deadliest Counties For Drowsy Driving Fatalities in For Counties With 5,000-25,000 Residents

Rank	County	State	Number of Fatalities (2013-2022)	Population	Rate Per 100,000
1	Pecos	TX	28	14,735	190.02
2	Reeves	TX	23	12,905	178.23
3	Madison	TX	9	5,724	157.23
4	Refugio	TX	10	6,632	150.78
5	Winkler	TX	11	7,306	150.56
6	Dimmit	TX	12	8,387	143.08
7	Martin	TX	8	5,724	139.76
8	Saguache	CO	9	6,623	135.89
9	Lincoln	CO	7	5,510	127.04
10	Live Oak	TX	14	11,428	122.51
11	Carson	TX	7	5,784	121.02
12	Dallam	TX	8	7,241	110.48
13	Pershing	NV	7	6,462	108.33
14	Marion	TX	6	5,724	104.82
15	Greene	AL	7	7,422	94.31
16	La Plata	CO	6	6,961	86.19
17	Sherman	KS	5	5,830	85.76
18	Huerfano	CO	6	7,082	84.72
19	Hamilton	TX	7	8,298	84.36
20	Johnson	WY	7	8,730	80.18