Drowsy driving occurs when a driver gets behind the wheel of a vehicle when they are tired, and there is a risk of them falling asleep. The lack of sleep causes the driver to be inattentive, possibly even close their eyes for a couple seconds. When this occurs, the driver is not completely aware of the circumstances around them, and may cause an accident. The less sleepy driver gets, the more likely they are to be involved in a car accident.

This is especially true for commercial truck drivers who have to get from one side of the state to another in such a short amount of time. Usually, truck drivers have a specific time limit they must deliver the goods by. When they fail to follow this time limit, they could get a write up with their employer. Because of the stress and pressure, truck drivers are forced to drive at increasingly high speeds, and not even take breaks for resting. When this occurs, truck drivers are at a high risk of getting involved in a car accident. This could be especially dangerous when trucks are involved since they are heavy and can cause severe damage to other vehicles on the road.

Drowsy driving is a serious problem, especially in the state of California where people oftentimes have two different jobs and have to go from one place to another after their first shift. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 25 drivers have admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel within a month. Drowsy driving accidents have also accounted for around 100,000 accidents that were reported in America. This number could be much higher since many drivers may not admit that they were drowsy while driving, or the accident has not been reported. 

It is also reported that drowsy driving car accidents are most likely to occur in the early hours of the day. During this time, those who have late shifts are probably returning back home from work.