[article] Asleep at the Wheel

mike65

One-in-eight admit they have fallen asleep at the wheel


ONE-in-eight drivers admit they have fallen asleep at the wheel, the survey of motorists' behaviour and attitudes reveals.

Most of these just kept on driving despite the massive risk of killing themselves and other road users.

The stark admission was yesterday described as "very scary" and the numbers involved "alarmingly high".

Almost two-in-every-five motorists (38pc) said they experienced driver fatigue in the past year.

The deadly phenomenon of falling asleep at the wheel is now claiming as many crash deaths as drink-driving, up to 100 a year.

It may explain the increase in young male drivers being killed in single vehicle accidents in the early hours of the morning after veering across the road or ploughing into poles, walls and ditches.

Many have been exhausted after socialising into the early hours of the morning or returning on long journeys home after shift work.

The National Survey of Motorists Behaviour and Attitudes to Road Safety 2004 found many of those drivers who admitted to feeling sleepy kept driving despite the high risk of a crash. A total of 15.7pc of Irish motorists, when extremely tired, continue to drive rather than stop to take a break.

"These figures are seriously alarming, illustrating the fact that Irish motorists do not consider tiredness as a major risk factor in the cause of road accidents."

Adrian Taheny, executive director FBD Insurance, said fatigue was a very frequent cause of accidents in the past month.

The survey found that driver fatigue was linked to the significant amount of time now being spent in cars by Irish motorists.

Treacy Hogan
Environment Correspondent

Mike.