Falling asleep at the wheel may be to blame for fatal crash

CONROE, TX Sara Milligan, 21, and 19-year-old Brittnay Tidwell were driving home from the Renaissance Festival. Investigators say Milligan fell asleep and ran off the side of the road, hitting a drainage culvert.

Tidwell died instantly. Milligan, the driver, is listed in critical condition.

The AAA Foundation says drowsy driving leads to nearly 17 percent of all deadly crashes in the U.S. That's more than 5,500 traffic deaths a year. In 1994, sleepiness was a factor in just 3.6 percent of fatal crashes. In the study, 41 percent of drivers admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at one point. One in 10 said it happened in the past year.