Driving for work - tiredness - easyCar.com

A new THINK! campaign has been launched to tackle the number of ‘sleepy’ motorists behind the wheel. Tired drivers are estimated to be responsible for around 300 deaths per year on British roads and this latest initiative from the Department for Transport aims to cut this figure by alerting motorists to the severe dangers of driving while tired.

The Driver Tiredness campaign primarily targets people who frequently drive or undertake long stints behind the wheel as part of their job. So, considering around 15 per cent of cars hired through easyCar.com are for business use, and many of our other rentals are for road trips in the UK and around the world, we want to help make sure you don’t become one of the statistics.

One fifth of accidents

Driver tiredness accounts for around one fifth of accidents on major roads, which is a worrying amount considering a sleepiness-induced crash is avoidable. The risk of death or serious injury is much greater with these types of crashes; as the drivers are not awake or alert enough to brake before collision, crashes tend to be at fairly high speed.

Your body knows when you are sleepy and there are some obvious signs that you should not ignore:

• Yawning
• Difficulty concentrating
• Head drooping
• Eyes ‘rolling’

The best thing to do if you notice any of these signs is to pull over somewhere safe and have a break, a caffeinated drink and a 15 minute nap to give the caffeine time to kick in. Turning the radio up or opening a window and blasting yourself with fresh air will not help for long – if you are feeling sleepy then the only real cure is to get some sleep.

Of course, one of the best ways to avoid feeling tired behind the wheel is to get enough sleep the night before your journey and travel when you are most alert. Most people experience a dip in alertness around early afternoon (between 2-4pm) so if you have hired your car for a holiday or have a long journey ahead, it is wise to plan a rest break around this time.

Likewise, it makes sense to avoid driving when you would normally be asleep – if you have a long drive to an early morning appointment, consider extending your car hire and travelling the evening before. Alternatively, think about sharing the driving, for a nominal charge you can usually get a second person insured on the hire car.

Planning your journey can be key to a safe journey. For long journeys you should plan a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours, even if you don’t feel tired. You can even use it as an excuse to stop for a coffee or a cream tea in a quaint little village just off the monotonous motorway.

You know your body clock better than anyone, so it is important that you take notice of the warning signs – ignoring tiredness is simply not worth the risk.

Driver tiredness factbox

Driver tiredness is estimated to be responsible for around 300 deaths a year in the UK.

Driver tiredness accounts for around 1 in 5 accidents on major roads.

If you cause a fatal accident when you are tired, you could face a charge of causing death by dangerous driving, the maximum penalty for which is 14 years in prison.

The times when you are least alert are between 2-4pm and midnight and 6am.

Drowsiness isn’t just caused by lack of sleep, so it’s important to know what other factors may influence your levels of concentration:

• Stress
• Irregular sleep patterns, such as shift work
• Insufficient rest breaks
• Prescription or over-the-counter drugs (ask the pharmacist or check the information leaflet that comes with the product whether it causes drowsiness)

Employers have a legal duty to set realistic driving schedules and must not put you at risk.

The highest ‘at risk’ group is young male drivers who have an increased chance of crashing in the early morning after little or no sleep.

Tips

To avoid driving tired please read the tips below to ensure you have a safe journey.
Before you start your journey:

• Plan your journey to include a 15 minute break every two hours of driving.
• Make sure you are fit to drive: have a good night's sleep before setting out on a long journey.
• Remember the risks if you have to get up unusually early to start your trip, or have a long drive home after a full day's work.
• Avoid making long trips between midnight-6am and 2-4pm when natural alertness is low.
• Even a small amount of alcohol, some medicines and drugs can make you drowsy and you're in danger of falling asleep at the wheel.

When you are on your journey:

• Take a 15 minute break every two hours of driving.
• Share the driving if possible.
• If you start to feel sleepy find a safe place to stop (not the hard shoulder of a motorway) as soon as possible.
• Ideally you need a proper sleep but an effective countermeasure to help you get to a safe place where you can get proper sleep is the combination of two cups of strong coffee or high caffeine drink and a nap. Caffeine takes about 20 minutes to take effect. This is time for a short nap. This countermeasure should allow you to continue driving but only for a short time.

Useful links:

http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/advice/drivertiredness02.htm

http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/index.htm

http://www.brake.org.uk/index.php?p=601