Driver fatigue cause of 1 in 5 crashes: Ontario report

A new report suggests driver fatigue could be the cause of almost one in five fatal car crashes.

Research based on Ontario's traffic data found most accidents involving sleepy drivers occur between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and on Fridays.

Mark Yakabuski, president and CEO of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said it's important for drivers to consider the dangers of fatigue, especially with a long weekend coming up in several provinces.

Yakabuski said there will be a lot of people taking long drives over the next few days, and drivers need to be aware of the risks involved with lack of sleep and not taking a break.

Driver fatigue kills about 400 Canadians every year.

A 2005 study found one in five drivers admitting to falling asleep behind the wheel during the previous 12 months.

John Carson, deputy commissioner for Ontario Provincial Police, said more officers are killed in traffic-related incidents than in violent situations, and fatigue-impaired driving is a matter of occupational health and safety for police.

The report says a car crash is the most likely cause of death for Canadians between the ages of three and 35.

The report was released by the Highway Safety Roundtable Thursday. The roundtable includes includes the Brewers Association of Canada, Canada Safety Council, Canadian Automobile Association, Insurance Bureau of Canada, Railway Association of Canada and Tourism Industry Association of Canada.