Sleep warning to M-way drivers

A fifth of motorway collisions are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel, new research reveals today.

One in 10 smashes on all of Britain's roads - around 23,300 a year - are also linked to fatigue.

Figures detailing the devastating effects of "drowsy driving" were released by Transport Minister David Jamieson, as he announced a major campaign to tackle the phenomenon believed to claim as many as 300 lives each year.

With thousands of families preparing to take to the roads over the Easter break, the scale of the problem has shocked safety experts. The research reveals that men aged 30 and under are most at risk because they are likely to press on with a long journey despite feeling drowsy.

Carried out by the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, the data also shows that there are distinct times of day when drowsiness is a particular menace. The danger zones are between 2am and 7am, and 2pm and 4pm - when most people's "body clock" urges them to rest.

Sleep-related accidents are more likely to result in serious injury than the "average" collision, and 40 per cent of "drowsy driving" accidents are work-related, involving commercial vehicles such as trucks and vans.

The Government's campaign is spearheaded by a harrowing TV commercial that features "John". He is shown in a peaceful setting with his eyes closed as a voiceover tells viewers how he will die in his sleep - surrounded by his family.

The camera suddenly pulls back to show the same man - asleep behind the wheel - as he drives back from a family holiday. Viewers then see the car drift across the road before rolling over in a terrifying crash.

Today Mr Jamieson said: "This is a powerful advert, aimed at highlighting the potential consequences of falling asleep at the wheel. Our research suggests that drivers falling asleep could be a factor in one in 10 fatal and injury accidents on our roads, resulting in some 300 deaths and thousands of injuries a year.

"The Highways Agency will be using their 394 motorway message signs to highlight this. Every driver should consider the issue, on every journey. Falling asleep is something that could happen to any driver, of any age."

The Government's research coincides with findings from a hotel company, showing that nearly nine in 10 motorists admit to driving when tired. More than half would not consider breaking a 10-hour journey with an overnight stop, according to a Premier Lodge poll of 500 motorists.

The research also showed that nearly 40 per cent of drivers failed to have a good sleep before a long journey.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "In today's society we are often under pressure to work longer and travel longer distances, so we are more at risk of crashing due to fatigue. The rail crash at Selby shows how catastrophic the consequences of driving when tired can be."

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