Driver Tiredness
Every year about 300 people are killed on UK roads as a result of a driver falling asleep at the wheel. Driver tiredness accounts for one in five fatal crashes occurring on motorways and other major roads in the UK.
Tired driver crashes are three times more likely to result in serious injury or death than other road accidents, because drowsy drivers do not brake or take other avoidance action.
These accidents tend to occur most frequently at night, peaking between 2-6am and also in the mid-afternoon, roughly between 3-5 pm.
Men, particularly those aged 18-24, are most likely to be involved in these accidents. But statistics also show that some occupations are at particularly high risk:
Truck drivers
Company car drivers
Shift workers, particularly on the first night after a shift
Skilled manual workers (e.g. bricklayers, carpenters, electricians)
Microsleeps
If you are very tired but continue to resist the urge to sleep, you will soon start to experience 'microsleeps'. These are short bouts of sleep (typically lasting between 2-20 seconds) characterised by frequent or long blinks, difficulty keeping the eyes open and head nodding.
These are not just signs of fatigue, they are signs that you have actually fallen asleep. When you are extremely tired your muscles lose their tone and relax causing your eyes to close and your head to fall forward.
Obviously, fatigue should be addressed before it accumulates to the point that you are drifting uncontrollably in and out of sleep. Someone who cannot hold their head up or keep their eyes open is clearly in no fit state to drive. When you are this tired there is nothing you can do to stop microsleeps from occurring.
Common myths
I’m young and don’t need as much sleep
Everyone needs sleep. You may enjoy staying up late and driving when you would normally be asleep but you need to be particularly careful to avoid driving when drowsy.
I just need some fresh air or some loud music to wake me up
A blast of cold air or loud music will only make you feel more alert for a few minutes: if you continue to resist the urge to sleep you will find yourself falling asleep uncontrollably. The only solution to fatigue is sleep.
I’m a professional – I can cope with driver tiredness
You might be a good driver, but fatigue affects many of the skills necessary for safe driving long before the point that you actually fall asleep. Fatigue leads to slowed reaction times, loss of awareness, poor concentration and impaired thinking. And no amount of willpower, determination or professionalism can prevent you from falling asleep.
Tired driver crashes are three times more likely to result in serious injury or death than other road accidents, because drowsy drivers do not brake or take other avoidance action.
These accidents tend to occur most frequently at night, peaking between 2-6am and also in the mid-afternoon, roughly between 3-5 pm.
Men, particularly those aged 18-24, are most likely to be involved in these accidents. But statistics also show that some occupations are at particularly high risk:
Truck drivers
Company car drivers
Shift workers, particularly on the first night after a shift
Skilled manual workers (e.g. bricklayers, carpenters, electricians)
Microsleeps
If you are very tired but continue to resist the urge to sleep, you will soon start to experience 'microsleeps'. These are short bouts of sleep (typically lasting between 2-20 seconds) characterised by frequent or long blinks, difficulty keeping the eyes open and head nodding.
These are not just signs of fatigue, they are signs that you have actually fallen asleep. When you are extremely tired your muscles lose their tone and relax causing your eyes to close and your head to fall forward.
Obviously, fatigue should be addressed before it accumulates to the point that you are drifting uncontrollably in and out of sleep. Someone who cannot hold their head up or keep their eyes open is clearly in no fit state to drive. When you are this tired there is nothing you can do to stop microsleeps from occurring.
Common myths
I’m young and don’t need as much sleep
Everyone needs sleep. You may enjoy staying up late and driving when you would normally be asleep but you need to be particularly careful to avoid driving when drowsy.
I just need some fresh air or some loud music to wake me up
A blast of cold air or loud music will only make you feel more alert for a few minutes: if you continue to resist the urge to sleep you will find yourself falling asleep uncontrollably. The only solution to fatigue is sleep.
I’m a professional – I can cope with driver tiredness
You might be a good driver, but fatigue affects many of the skills necessary for safe driving long before the point that you actually fall asleep. Fatigue leads to slowed reaction times, loss of awareness, poor concentration and impaired thinking. And no amount of willpower, determination or professionalism can prevent you from falling asleep.
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