Did you know that
- Fatigue is a contributory factor in crashes which kill or seriously injure around 50 people every year in Scotland.
- In 2019, fatigue was a contributory factor in 2% of all collisions, but in 5% of all road deaths and experts estimate that the real figure is much higher, with up to 20 per cent of all collisions involving driver fatigue.
- Sleep related collisions are around 50 per cent more likely to result in death or serious injury. When drivers fall asleep, the police find no signs of braking, or any avoiding actions, so they tend to result in higher-speed collisions.
You can’t fight sleep
- Many of the counter measures drivers use (opening a window, turning up the radio) simply do not work.
Plan ahead
Planning ahead can help you avoid driving tired:
- Plan regular breaks in your journey. Take a break at least every two hours.
- If your journey is very long, or you know you won’t have had much sleep, consider using alternative transport or planning an overnight stay.
If your journey has been unavoidably delayed and you’re driving for longer than planned:
- Ask another insured driver to take over.
- If that isn’t an option, have a caffeinated drink, and rest for 20 minutes while the caffeine kicks in.
See Driver Fatigue website from Road Safety Scotland to familiarise yourself with the dangers of driving whilst tired and tips on how to avoid getting into this situation.
Road Safety Scotland's facebook page is here.
