Driving tired kills
Fatigue causes hundreds of collisions each year and are roughly 50% more likely to result in death or serious injury.
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Higher risk of collisions
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Slower reaction times
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Reduced alertness
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Serious injuries and death
Driving tired can be dangerous
Driver fatigue causes hundreds of road collisions each year. And these collisions are roughly 50% more likely1 to result in death or serious injury. When drivers fall asleep, the police find no signs of braking, or any avoiding actions, so they tend to result in higher-speed collisions.
We all know we shouldn’t drive when we’re too tired, but sometimes weather, logistics, lack of alternatives or time constraints2 mean we do anyway. However, driving while fatigued or sleepy leads to significant impairment of our driving performance3, increases reaction times and reduces attention, compromising decision-making and our ability to control the vehicle. It’s incredibly risky.
Drink a coffee. Have a rest. And survive.
Key information
What you need to know
- Fatigue impairs performance, increases reaction times and reduces attention
- Very little sleep can affect your driving in the same way as having a drink
- Drinking coffee or having a walk only acts as a short-term measure
- To avoid putting lives at risk, you should plan your journey and allow sufficient time for regular breaks – when you notice signs of fatigue, safely pull over and have a rest
The facts
- Fatigue was identified as a contributory factor in 17% of all fatal road collisions in Scotland⁴
- A ‘microsleep’ occurs when someone nods off for between two and 30 seconds without realising or remembering it, often known as head-nodding. It usually happens when people are tired but trying to stay awake, most common in monotonous situations, such as motorway driving at night
- A person who drives after being awake for 17 hours has impaired driving skills comparable to a driver with a 0.05 mg/ml blood alcohol level. A person who hasn’t slept for 24 hours has impaired driving skills comparable to a driver with an illegally high blood alcohol concentration of 0.1 g/l³
- Nearly two-fifths of UK drivers (37%) say they have been so tired they were scared they would fall asleep when driving⁵
- Almost half of UK drivers (49%) admitted driving after less than five hours of sleep, highlighting that many drivers continue to drive when tired⁶
- Experts estimate driver fatigue crashes are under-reported, and are likely to account for up to 20% of all UK vehicle collisions, and up to one quarter of fatal and serious crashes²
What causes tiredness?
A simple lack of sleep is usually the main problem, but there are other reasons you can become sleepy while driving:
- Unusual sleep patterns from shift working
- Natural body clock dips at certain times, for example:
- early afternoon following on from lunch (2pm-4pm)
- early morning for overnight workers (2am-6am)
- Drinking alcohol
- Medicines that cause drowsiness
- Driving a long distance after a full day’s work
Who's most at risk?
Things like time constraints and bad weather mean too many people still drive when they’re tired, but some people are at a higher risk of falling asleep when driving. For example, if you:
- Drive for work daily
- Drive for long periods on dual carriageways and motorways
- Regularly do shift work
- Suffer from any sleep-related disorders
Medical conditions
If you have a sleep-related condition that could affect your driving, you need to tell the DVLA. If you don’t, it could lead to a large fine – and even prosecution if you’re in a collision.
Remember, some medicines for coughs, flu and hayfever can cause drowsiness too.
Other disorders can also make you drowsy. These include:
- Sleep disorders
- Sleep apnoea
- Insomnia
- Narcolepsy
If you suffer from disorders, like sleep apnoea, that result in excessive sleepiness, you should not drive until your symptoms are under control.⁷
Tips to avoid driving tired
Make sure you’re well rested and feeling fit and healthy (and not taking any medication that causes drowsiness). If you already feel tired, then don’t start your journey.
When you do set off, here are a few simple things to keep in mind:
- Plan rest breaks throughout your journey (15-20 minutes every two hours)
- Do not drive more than 7.5 hours and schedule an overnight stop if your journey is over 12 hours
- Always respond to the signs of being tired
- Don’t just put down the window or turn up your music – these methods only work for a short time
- Avoid driving when you’d normally be sleeping – between about midnight and 6am
- Be extra careful between 2pm and 4pm (especially after you’ve eaten)
- Be aware of long journeys on monotonous roads, like motorways
- Plan to take the train or bus instead if you know you’re likely to be tired (e.g. you’ve finished a long shift, or you’ve been out the night before)
- Don’t rely on vehicle technology to keep you awake – it doesn’t work
- Stop in a safe place, drink a coffee, put your seat back, and have a nap while the caffeine kicks in
Danger signs
You can’t fight sleep. Can you spot the signs of driving tired?
Having trouble focusing, yawning, heavy eyelids, head nodding (‘microsleep’), eyes rolling, and the inability to concentrate are all signs of driver fatigue. If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to stop the car somewhere safe and get some rest.
Tackling tiredness myths
Drivers regularly use countermeasures to tackle their tiredness, such as stopping for a walk, opening a window or turning on the radio. But these don’t work. While taking a quick break or drinking a caffeinated drink can make a short-term difference, it’s a very temporary measure. The sleepiness will keep returning until you’re properly rested. See some of the most common myths around driving when tired below.
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