11 May 2007

1 In 10 Drivers Fall Asleep at the Wheel | Cheap Car Insurance and Home Insurance from Confused.com

New research from leading car insurance search engine www.Confused.com has revealed the shocking statistic that one in ten drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel, and 6% have done so in the past month.

Confused.com's survey of over 1000 drivers revealed that almost 30% of those who nodded off at the wheel admitted to driving through the night. Almost 10% of drivers regularly use this tactic to beat busy traffic periods, especially Bank Holiday congestion. Worryingly tired motorists regularly experience 'microsleep' where they nod off for between two and 30 seconds without remembering or even realising it. At 70mph a driver dozing for six seconds would travel 200 metres: more than enough distance to cause a severe road accident.

Debra Williams, Managing Director of Confused.com commented: 'It is well known that 1 in 5 accidents on long journeys are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. These accidents tend to be high-speed, as drivers don't brake before crashing.

'Drivers causing accidents as a result of napping at the wheel are typically charged with careless driving or dangerous driving, resulting in car insurance increases of between 16% and 40%** and a halving in the number of insurers willing to provide a quote. Worse still, if a driver is found guilty of causing a death as a result of sleeping at the wheel they could face a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison. The message is clear, if you drive over night and feel any signs of tiredness, pull over and rest.'

Research shows that young male drivers are most likely to crash due to tiredness in the early hours of the morning*, and it's no surprise that male drivers in this category typically have among the most expensive premiums of any age group, standing at £2,389 for 17-20 year old drivers and £1,218 for 21-25 year old drivers, compared to the current UK male driver average premium of £641.

Of all drivers that admitted to falling asleep in the last month, Confused.com's survey revealed that 15% were male 18-25 year old drivers, however the largest group by far was 31-40 year old women, accounting for 28% of dozing drivers.

Confused.com's survey also revealed that while most motorists take a break, many use a range of other tactics. Of those surveyed, 42% considered drinking caffeine and energy drinks as an acceptable means of trying to stay alert and 24% found that singing out loud or talking kept them awake. Unfortunately, while these tactics may temporarily help drivers stay awake, they are no substitute for a proper rest.

To help drivers avoid falling asleep during late night or early morning trips over the May Bank Holiday Confused.com has outlined a list of the tell-tale signs to look for, which include increased difficulty in concentration, yawning, heavy eyelids, eyes 'rolling' and head 'drooping'. Drivers experiencing these symptoms are advised to take a break from driving at the earliest opportunity.

Debra Williams added: 'Regular breaks help refresh the brain, improving concentration and reaction levels, and could prevent an accident. Having the windows wound down, or drinking a caffeine drink may feel effective at the time, but is only a short-term solution. The only proven method for recharging your energy levels is to stop and sleep - even if it's only for 20 minutes.'

Editor's notes:

• Confused.com searches over 97% of the online car insurance market
• On average people using Confused.com can save £150 on their car insurance.
• Confused.com provides a real-time service for car insurance, bringing back results in less than two minutes.
• Confused.com conducted an online survey which was live throughout April 2007. All data in the press release is based on the answers from the 1006 respondents.
• * Indicates research by Horne, J.A., Misperception about unforewarned 'Sleep attacks' When Driving. British Medical Journal, 2002 and the report 'Driver tiredness: an information sheet for fleet managers produced by Fleet Safety Forum (a division of Brake) and the Department for Transport.
• ** Based on a 36 year old Public Relations Director living in Bristol, driving a FORD MONDEO GHIA 16V 1996-2000 1989cc 5 DOOR HATCHBACK Manual Petrol. Average cost of insurance with no convictions: £423. Average cost of insurance with one conviction for driving without due care and attention: £491. Average cost of insurance with one conviction for driving dangerously: £596

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