New research reveals fatigue is serious problem for drivers
One in 10 drivers have momentarily fallen asleep behind the wheel, potentially putting their lives and other drivers’ at risk.
One in 10 drivers surveyed admitted to momentarily closing their eyes because they were so tired
The new research by IAM RoadSmart found that with more than 40 million licence holders registered, this equates to some four million motorists, painting a worrying picture of fatigue among motorists.
The road safety organisation warned that even the briefest lapse in concentration when driving can have devastating consequences. At 70mph a car travels over 100 feet every second!
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy & research, said: “Fatigue behind the wheel is a very serious problem, perhaps more concerning than previously thought of.
“It is shocking to think a potential four million drivers have closed their eyes behind the wheel because they were so tired, even if it was just for a short time. The potential carnage that could result from even one accident doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Furthermore, more than half of drivers also said they were very concerned about fatigue when driving long distances.
Other results from the research also highlighted that millions of drivers have succumbed to tiredness when driving, with one in 10 admitting they had hit the rumble strip, while four in 10 had turned down the heating or rolled down the windows in order to stop them from being tired.
On a slightly more positive note, around a quarter of drivers had pulled over for a rest and/or a coffee – one of a number of measures advocated by IAM RoadSmart to counter the risks of tired driving.
Greig added: “Driving a long distance needs pre-planning to ensure there are plenty of available rest places and to make sure there’s enough time to complete the journey if delays are encountered. Never drive for longer than two hours without a break and take particular care if driving when you would normally be asleep. This is even more important as the country reopens after the pandemic and not all facilities may be available yet.
“Drivers can then concentrate on staying alert behind the wheel rather than staving off tiredness by trying to reach their end destination without adequate rest breaks.”
CoronavirusCOVID-19Driver fatigueIAM RoadSmart
Natalie Middleton
Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.
One Comment
Adam Rollins17. Jun, 2021
There is a duty of care obligation for any employer to ensure their drivers are working and driving safely.
Depending on job role, it may not be unusual for people who drive to different locations to perform their duties, to be on the road for prolonged periods. The driving may not be the function of the role but is necessary to fulfil the job.
So, the duty of care needs to factor in the job requirement and the travel requirement together. In an extreme example, a company should not require a driver to travel for several hours, perform for five hours or more, then complete the return journey. It happens. We see it happening, with some drivers on a regular basis, sometimes doing this sort of work pattern for several consecutive days, or even every working day. Any company that allows people to work like this, is exposing itself to a risk that is too great to your employees, your company and the individuals who are responsible for allowing this to happen. The risk is corporate manslaughter.
Many people think of mileage management as just a way of reimbursing drivers for the cost of business mileage and believe it can be managed through an expense claims process. Mileage management is a much broader tool that allows a company to monitor the mileages that drivers cover. Reports can give total mileages over chosen periods, that can then be drilled into on an individual basis. If drivers are covering many thousands of miles in a month, the management must be aware and be able to analyse by who and why this is done. Anyone not using a mileage management tool, such as Midas FMS, may be processing travel expense claims, with no awareness of the implications of sanctioning a potentially dangerous work pattern, simply by paying the employee back for their mileage.