Fatigue - Think About Roadsafety

Studies have shown that drivers don’t fall asleep without warning. Drivers who fall asleep at the wheel have often tried to fight off drowsiness by opening a window, or by turning up the radio. This doesn't work for long.

Research suggests that almost 20% of accidents on major roads are sleep-related

Sleep-related accidents are more likely than others to result in a fatality or serious injury

Peak times for accidents are in the early hours and after lunch

• About 40% of sleep-related accidents involve commercial vehicles
• Men under 30 have the highest risk of falling asleep at the wheel

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THINK! Advice

Plan your journey to include a 15 minute break every two hours.

Don't start a long trip if you're already tired.

Remember the risks if you have to get up unusually early to start a long drive.

Try to avoid long trips between midnight and 6am when you're likely to feel sleepy anyway.

If you start to feel sleepy, find a safe place to stop - not the hard shoulder of a motorway. Drink two cups of coffee or a high-caffeine drink and have a rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow time for the caffeine to kick in.

Remember, the only real cure for sleepiness is proper sleep. A caffeine drink or a nap is a short-term

solution that will only allow you to keep driving for a short time.