Drivers 'fall asleep behind wheel'

13/07/11

By Matt Gibson

Around 12.5 per cent of motorists have fallen asleep while driving over the last year, latest research has revealed.

Nearly a third (29 per cent) also said that they had carried on driving despite realising they were experiencing the first signs of drowsiness, a joint poll by road safety charity Brake and weight management programme Cambridge Weight Plan found.

Those who dozed off behind the wheel said they had been asleep for between two and 30 seconds, often unaware of what had happened.

About one in four of those surveyed admitted they had embarked on a journey when they were already feeling sleepy and 86 per cent of the 1,000 people questioned did not stop to find somewhere safe to have a short break while tired behind the wheel.

Brake's campaigns director Julie Townsend said: "We still have widespread misunderstanding of how to prevent driver tiredness and ignorance about factors like sleep apnoea, a condition that can be treated.

“These messages still need to get through to the public, which is why we are calling for renewed efforts from the Government to tackle this issue urgently."