Arizona authorities share harrowing photos to warn against drowsy driving

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Photo courtesy of the Arizona Department of Public Safety

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is sharing harrowing photos of a crash that could have easily turned tragic and say it's all due to drowsy driving.

"The driver of this pickup truck was fortunate to survive with non-life-threatening injuries after he fell asleep behind the wheel & struck a guardrail on southbound SR 87 in Payson earlier this week," DPS said on March 17 in a tweet.

The agency shared drowsy driving numbers, saying that there are at least 100,000 police-reported cases each year with about 800 people being killed and 50,000 others being hurt.

"Being drowsy delays reaction speed, decreases concentration & impairs judgment," DPS said.

DPS says that if you're on a long road trip, to take breaks, stretch, walk around, find a safe spot to pull over and rest, or simply let someone else drive.