Driver fatigue

Raising awareness of the dangers of driver fatigue.

Fatigue is the physical and mental impairment brought on by the lack of sleep. You become at risk of nodding off while driving and therefore increase your risk of being involved in a crash. You should never fight sleep at the wheel.

Facts

It is estimated that driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as one in five fatal crashes in Ireland every year. View our leaflet on Driver Fatigue The facts
tiredness-related collisions are three times more likely to be fatal or result in a serious injury
28% of motorists in Ireland say they have fallen asleep or nodded off, even if only for a moment when driving ( Driver Attitudes and Behaviour Survey 2020).
Among people who drive for work, this increases to 33% who say they have ever fallen asleep or nodded off, even if only for a moment when driving.

International research shows that:

Fatigue is a contributory factor in 10-20% of road traffic collisions.
Several studies suggest that fatigue is associated with increased crash risk. Estimates of crash risk range between three to eight times due to not enough sleep the night before the trip. (European Commission, Fatigue, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport, February 2018).

Studies have shown that the groups most at risk from driver fatigue are:

young men
people working night shifts
those who drive for a living such as commercial drivers
people with sleep disorders, such as sleep apnoea.

Those suffering from sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea are at a higher risk of falling asleep while driving. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a disorder that affects 5-10% of the adult population and is the most common sleep disorder causing daytime sleepiness. Patients with OSA are up to seven times more likely to have a road traffic collision than the general population as a result of sleepiness. There are effective treatment programmes available for those who suffer from sleep apnoea so visit your GP if you think you do.

Sleep apnea

Watch John Dixon talk about his personal experience of sleep apnea.

Our research on driver fatigue shows an increase in people admitting to having fallen asleep while driving (28%)

Advice for tired drivers

Stop. Park in a safe place.
Sip. Drink a caffeine drink (150 mg of caffeine, e.g. two cups of coffee)
Sleep. Take a nap for 15 minutes (set your mobile phone alarm). It takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes for the caffeine to take effect.
After your nap try and get some fresh air and stretch your legs for a few minutes.

By following the above advice you should be able to drive for another hour or so. Remember, if you are suffering from a chronic lack of sleep - the only cure is sleep.