3 KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Colorado records 6.89 drowsy driver fatal crashes per million licensed drivers, the fourth-highest rate in the nation and ranking #4 nationwide.
- With an average of 4,441,772 licensed drivers, Colorado averages 30.6 drowsy driver fatal crashes annually between 2020 and 2024.
- Colorado records nearly 14 times the rate of drowsy driver fatal crashes per million licensed drivers as Wisconsin, which ranks 50th with 0.50 crashes per million licensed drivers.
Colorado ranks fourth in the nation for drowsy driver fatal crash rates. Between 2020 and 2024, the state averaged 30.6 drowsy driver fatal crashes annually, with a rate of 6.89 fatal crashes per million licensed drivers, placing it among the highest-risk states in the country for fatal crashes involving fatigued drivers.
The study, conducted by Blakeley Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, analyzed fatal crashes involving drowsy drivers across all 50 states between 2020 and 2024. Average annual crash totals were calculated using five-year averages and standardized per one million licensed drivers based on average annual licensed driver estimates. States were then ranked from highest to lowest according to their average annual fatal drowsy driving crash rate.
Colorado At A Glance
| Metric | Value |
| Rank | #4 |
| Average Annual Licensed Drivers (2020–2024) | 4,441,772 |
| Average Annual Drowsy Driver Fatal Crashes (2020–2024) | 30.6 |
| Drowsy Driver Fatal Crashes per Million Licensed Drivers | 6.89 |
The U.S. States With the Highest Rates of Fatal Drowsy Driving Crashes
Table 1: Top 10 States by Fatal Drowsy Driving Crashes per Million Licensed Drivers (2020–2024)
| Rank | State | Average Annual Fatal Drowsy Driving Crashes | Fatal Drowsy Driving Crashes per Million Licensed Drivers |
| 1 | Wyoming | 11.2 | 25.67 |
| 2 | Montana | 8.2 | 9.51 |
| 3 | Alabama | 29.6 | 7.37 |
| 4 | Colorado | 30.6 | 6.89 |
| 5 | Texas | 125.8 | 6.73 |
| 6 | New Mexico | 10.0 | 6.60 |
| 7 | Kansas | 11.4 | 5.75 |
| 8 | Alaska | 2.8 | 5.33 |
| 9 | Maine | 5.4 | 5.08 |
| 10 | Idaho | 6.4 | 4.68 |
Colorado records the fourth-highest rate of drowsy driver fatal crashes in the nation at 6.89 per million licensed drivers. Only Wyoming, Montana, and Alabama report higher rates, while Texas rounds out the top five highest-risk states during the study period.
How Colorado Compares to the Lowest-Risk States
Table 2: The Gap Between Colorado and America’s Lowest-Risk States
| State | Rank | Average Annual Licensed Drivers | Drowsy Driver Fatal Crashes per Million Licensed Drivers | Average Annual Drowsy Driver Fatal Crashes |
| Colorado | #4 | 4,441,772 | 6.89 | 30.6 |
| Wisconsin | #50 | 4,383,331 | 0.50 | 2.2 |
| Connecticut | #49 | 2,602,251 | 0.85 | 2.2 |
| New York | #48 | 12,182,333 | 0.85 | 10.4 |
| New Jersey | #47 | 6,626,757 | 0.94 | 6.2 |
Colorado averages 30.6 drowsy driver fatal crashes each year, resulting in 6.89 drowsy driver fatal crashes per million licensed drivers, the fourth-highest rate in the nation. By comparison, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey each recorded fewer than one drowsy driver fatal crash per million licensed drivers, highlighting the substantial variation in fatal drowsy driving risk across the United States.
Methodology
The study analyzed fatal crashes involving drowsy drivers across all 50 states between 2020 and 2024. Average annual crash totals were calculated using five-year averages and standardized per one million licensed drivers based on average annual licensed driver estimates. States were then ranked from highest to lowest according to their average annual fatal drowsy driving crash rate.
Data Sources
- Drowsy Driving Crash Data:
https://cdan.dot.gov/query - Licensed Drivers Data:
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2022/dl1c.cfm
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2023/dl1c.cfm
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2024/dl1c.cfm
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2021/dl1c.cfm
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2020/dl1c.cfm - Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-e0QK4LsWQ-J1nGeddmIfiWtyBq5PvGZFofBw03fvgs/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- Study by:
https://www.floridainjuryadvocate.com/
About Blakeley Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
Blakeley Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is a Florida-based personal injury practice that represents individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents and families affected by wrongful death. The firm handles personal injury and wrongful death claims exclusively, advocating for fair compensation on behalf of its clients.