Terry Luttrell of REO Speedwagon Reportedly Crashes Car After Falling Asleep at Wheel

Terry Luttrell from the iconic rock band REO Speedwagon got into a bad car wreck after a concert on Sunday -- crashing his vehicle after falling asleep at the wheel following a long night.

The 78-year-old tells TMZ ... it all went down after a late-night concert -- he was driving from Illinois to St. Louis after staying up until 4:30 AM Sunday. He felt sleepy and headed towards an exit on the highway .... but nodded off behind the wheel while on the exit ramp. His car veered off the ramp, rolled over once and landed upright in the swale area.

The singer says, "I can only thank my Father in heaven for seeing me through. It could've been worse — I might not have made it — but obviously he feels like it's not time for me to leave yet."

Terry confirms to us he woke up "cocooned" -- wrapped in airbags after the crash ... they deployed on impact and cracked his sternum.

An ambulance arrived at the scene of the crash and transported Terry on a stretcher. He’s currently experiencing back and neck pain and is recovering at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois, where he’ll remain for the next few days while undergoing physical therapy.

Illinois State Police tell TMZ ... troopers responded to the single-vehicle crash at about 4:15 PM on Sunday ... Luttrell was driving southbound on Interstate 57 when the car rolled off the roadway and struck a sign in Arcola, Illinois, about 30 miles south of Champaign.

Turns out some of the nurses treating him were actually fans -- they’d been at his concert at State Farm Center in Champaign, IL the night before his car crash  ... right next door to Urbana. So it sounds like he didn't make it too far out of town before the crash.