Each day 17-18 lives are lost because of a fatigued driver, according to the 2014 study by AAA Foundation. 21% of all deadly crashes are because of drowsy/fatigued drivers. An additional 13% of all crashes resulted in serious injury with hospitalization because of fatigued drivers. A total of 41% of all car crashes resulted in either fatality, severe injury or other injury were because of fatigued drivers.

Keep your family safe by:

• Drive when you are alert and rested. Caffeine, loud music, open windows are not a substitute for sleep.
• Talk with your children, especially your teenagers about the dangers of being drowsy while driving and the danger of being distracted, using a cell phone, and texting while driving. It is illegal in Illinois and will be illegal in Iowa (July 1) to text and drive.
• Speak up if you are a passenger in the car and the driver is showing signs of fatigue or is distracted by cell or texts.
• It is better to pull over, make or answer the call, or to  rest, take a nap, or get a motel room, and arrive late rather than not arrive at all or to cause a car accident.