A woman driving on Anawan Street in Rehoboth last July drifted off the road and hit a utility pole, knocking out power in the neighborhood for several hours.

She told police she had fallen asleep at the wheel.

Drowsy driving has become such a concern in some public safety circles that a national awareness campaign is under way this week.

The National Sleep Foundation's Drowsy Driving Prevention Week started Monday and ends Sunday.

In Massachusetts, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the Department of Transportation are promoting the campaign. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates there are 100,000 police-reported crashes caused by driver fatigue each year, resulting in 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in financial losses.

"It's probably a byproduct of the times," Rehoboth Police Chief Stephen Enos said. "People are stretching themselves pretty thin."

Enos said the popular perception is "it's not as dangerous to drive without the proper rest as it is driving a vehicle intoxicated."

"It's one of those things we as a society need to be more attuned to," he said. "I think it's an awareness issue that's probably coming more to the forefront."

For more information, visit www.mass.gov/highwaysafety or www.drowsydriving.org.