Drowsy driving makes roads more dangerous — and car insurance more expensive, according to a new CarInsurance.com report.

Whether due to medical conditions, long work hours or lack of sleep, many drivers are at risk of nodding off. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 10% of drivers admit falling asleep behind the wheel at least once a year.

Crashes caused by drowsy driving result in more than 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in losses every year, according to NHTSA data.

“When you drive drowsy, you put yourself and others at risk, leading to tragic consequences, higher insurance costs and even reckless driving charges,” said Laura Longero, executive editor of CarInsuance.com, in a press release.

Drivers who nod off at the wheel can get a ticket even if they don’t cause any damage or break any other traffic laws while asleep. If caught, the driver could be issued a ticket for careless and imprudent driving, a class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.

That ticket can have big insurance consequences. According to CarInsurance.com’s analysis, the national average rate hike for a reckless driving ticket is 73%, but it could be higher, depending on where the driver lives. In California, for example, the average rate increase is 177%.

“Insurance premiums often rise significantly following at-fault crashes or citations, including those involving drowsy driving,” Longero said.

Even if a driver isn’t convicted of reckless driving, getting into an accident after falling asleep behind the wheel can also result in rate hikes. The average rate increase after an accident claim is about 30%. Plus, drivers with no collision coverage would have to pay for any post-accident repairs themselves.

Premiums can also increase if a driver is sued after injuring someone while asleep at the wheel.

Some insurance carriers will drop coverage for drivers who receive a ticket for a traffic offense related to drowsy driving or sleeping behind the wheel. Most can’t drop a driver’s coverage mid-policy, but they can issue a non-renewal notice when the policy is set to expire.

Drivers can safeguard themselves by making sure they’re well-rested when they hit the road as well as reviewing their insurance policy to ensure they have adequate coverage in case of an accident.

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Driving drowsy has big insurance consequences

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