Van contract hire drivers warned of tiredness danger
Friday 30 July 2010 Back to Blog
Van contract hire drivers should make sure they take plenty of breaks when travelling long distances to ensure they do not suffer the effects of tiredness.
Road safety charity RoadSafe has warned drivers that sleepiness can be incredibly dangerous behind the wheel and is responsible for 300 road deaths a year in the UK.
In particular, it highlights the risks of microsleeps to those setting off on a long journey while suffering a lack of sleep.
Microsleeps are short periods of sleep, lasting from two to 30 seconds, which people can experience when extremely tired.
This can have extreme consequences when on the road and many people do not even realise they are having them.
RoadSafe advises that as soon as drivers start showing signs of tiredness, such as difficulty keeping eyes open, they should find somewhere to stop and sleep.
Director, Adrian Walsh, said: "Just one night's disturbed sleep can cause extreme short-term tiredness, resulting in a moment's lapse in concentration."
A recent poll by Co-operative Insurance found that drivers are also increasing the risk of an accident by indulging bad habits such as eating and drinking behind the wheel and driving too quickly when in a hurry.