We know all too well the dangers of drunk driving. A new study out by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows driving drowsy can be equally dangerous.

"If you have anywhere from one to three hours less sleep than you normally do," said Todd Ingraham, AAA Fleet Operations Manager. "It greatly increases your chances of being involved in a crash. It actually quadruples your chances and that's the equivalent of driving drunk."

The study revealed 9.5 percent of all crashes and 10.8 percent of crashes resulting in significant property damage involved drowsiness.

In New York State AAA found that in 2016, there were 4,600 crashes reported to involve drowsy driving.

•         3,543 crashes coded as “fell asleep”

•         1,272 crashes coded as “fatigued/drowsy”

•         (212 crashes coded as both)

•         “Fell asleep” contributed to 10 fatal crashes and 1,667 personal injury crashes

 

Those 4,600 crashes included:

•         204 collisions with trees

•         141 collisions with an earth embankment/rock cut/ditch

•         127 collisions with a light support/utility pole

•         77 collisions with a sign post

•         26 collisions with a building/wall

•         12 collisions with a fire hydrant

 

Top 10 counties for drowsy driving crashes:

•         Suffolk – 386

•         Nassau – 266

•         Westchester – 224

•         Erie – 165

•         Orange – 163

•         Queens – 148

•         Monroe – 126

•         Dutchess – 121

•         Kings – 109

•         Onondaga – 89