Dozing while driving and the car fell off a cliff killing some of the passengers

Q: I went with my family to Makkah Al-Mukarramah to make `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). This was on the Thursday corresponding to 07/08/1411 A. H. All praise be to Allah Alone, we stayed for some days by Allah's House. We then started our way back from Makkah Al-Mukarramah to Abha city. I was suddenly overtaken by sleep so the car moved in the wrong direction and, though I tried to avoid the accident, we all fell off a high location into the valley. Consequently, my wife along with two of my daughters died. May Allah, the Most High, the Omnipotent be merciful to them and let them dwell in His spacious Jannah (Paradise) for verily He (Allah) is the All-Hearing, the One Who responds to the Du`a's (supplications) of His slaves.I hope that Your Eminence will read my letter and then submit it to His Eminence Shaykh `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz to issue a Fatwa for me. It is worth mentioning that I can not afford to free a slave and I can not observe successive Sawm (Fast). Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. (Part No. 21; Page No. 352) Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, the trustworthy, his family and Companions.

A: It is Wajib (obligatory) for you to make the Kaffarah (expiation) of involuntary manslaughter for every one of those who died in the accident concerned. However, Kaffarah is to free a believing slave or, if you are not able to do so, to observe Sawm (Fast) for two successive months whenever you can do so. You may have a break between every two months to get some rest.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.