Deadly ignorance about tired driving is putting lives at risk as an estimated 2.3 million drivers ^[1] have dozed off behind the wheel, according to research released today by road safety charity Brake and Green Flag.

The vast majority of the 1,000 drivers interviewed (78%) put their trust in ineffective measures to combat tiredness such as opening a window or listening to the radio. Drivers were three times more likely to open the window when tired than take a nap while safely parked, which is recommended by the Government ^[2]. A shocking one in 14 (7%) admitted falling asleep while driving in the past year while a quarter (26%) said they had been a passenger with a tired driver.

National road safety charity Brake and Green Flag are deeply concerned that not enough drivers know the proven measures to avoid tired driving: a good night’s sleep before a journey; stopping at least every two hours; or stopping to take a nap if they feel tired.  Brake is calling for the Government to invest in high profile campaigns to combat this deadly ignorance.

Driver tiredness is a factor in 96 fatal crashes a year ^[3] and leads to countless more serious injuries. The real death toll is likely to be much higher as it is difficult to prove that a driver was tired or asleep at the time of a crash.  Brake is appealing for drivers to stop this preventable death toll and never drive while tired. An online information sheet about tired driving is available on the Brake website.

Case study (Mary Dunn is available for media interviews, contact Dianne Ferreira at Brake)
Mary Dunn knows all too well the devastating consequences of tired driving. Her husband Steve, 39, was driving a train involved in the 2001 ‘Selby Rail Disaster’.  Driver Gary Hart, who had not had any sleep the night before, fell asleep on the M62. His vehicle left the motorway and went down a bank on to the railway, causing two trains to derail.  Ten people died including Steve Dunn.  

Mary says: “Too many people think that driving while tired is harmless without realising that they are in charge of a lethal weapon, capable of causing a major catastrophe like in Selby. Please think of Steve, and the others who were killed or injured that day, all because one man decided to drive while tired. Always get enough sleep before a journey and only ever drive if you feel fully awake and alert.”

Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake, said: “It is shocking that drivers are so ignorant about how to prevent tiredness on the road. It’s crucial that drivers planning long journeys or driving at unusual hours are aware of the dangers of driving tired and know how to avoid it by getting a good night’s sleep beforehand, taking regular breaks and pulling over if they feel tired.  We need to see high-profile advertising campaigns about the dangers of driving tired, to educate drivers who are, often unwittingly, putting themselves and others in terrible danger.”

Abi Clark, spokesperson for Green Flag, commented: “This research highlights that drivers need to be aware of the dangers they are putting themselves and others in when driving whilst tired. Drivers can’t just open a window or crank the music up to keep awake – they need to ensure they have a break every two hours when on a long journey and stop and take a nap if they feel tired.”