Tiredness – Big Cause of Car Accidents
Saturday, 24. September 2011
We all know that we shouldn’t drive whilst tired and the electronic signs on the motorways give us frequent warnings telling us that tiredness can kill and we should take a break but did you know that one in five crashes are as a result of tiredness according to the Department for Transport? According to a survey carried out by Confused.com 79% of drivers are risking their lives by not taking enough breaks during long trips. A third of those questioned said they hate service stations with one in 7 saying they wouldn’t take one single break during a four hour trip.
These results are alarming as it means that many drivers are putting theirs, their passengers and other road users lives at risk every time they embark on a long journey.
Chartered psychologist, Dr Joan Harvey of Newcastle University conducted research into the link between accidents and tiredness and concluded that drivers should take a break every hour and a half when driving.
She claimed that maximum concentration when driving on the motorway is just 20-30 minutes. After this drivers tend to get bored and switch into ‘auto pilot’. We know what drivers need to do and the Government needs to find a way to encourage drivers to do it.
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In the meantime it might be worth remembering that the 15 minute break in the services, next time you are on a long trip, may just save your life! By Graham Hill
Related articles
- Drivers alerted to sleep risk (lv.com)
