Staying alert on the road

If you are as alert as you should be on the motorway, you will have noticed the ‘Think! Don’t Drive Tired’ signs that alert drivers to the dangers of driving fatigue. They have been in place since a crackdown road safety campaign in 2002. This related to a Government report which showed that falling asleep while driving could be a factor in 10% of all road accidents, causing as many as 300 deaths and thousands of injuries every year. In a separate survey at the time, nine out of 10 drivers admitted driving when too tired. Some even said that they wouldn’t consider breaking a 10-hour journey with an overnight stop, preferring to get to their destination in one go.

Tiredness kills. Make time for a break

The first stop for getting advice on driving fatigue is the Government’s THINK! Road Safety website. It cites laboratory studies that show sleep does not occur without warning – and this applies to drivers, too. The first obvious warning sign you may fall asleep at the wheel is trying to fight off drowsiness: yawning, eyes closing, head tilting forward, difficulty concentrating and lane drifting. Contrary to popular belief or instinct, opening a window or turning up the radio will do little to prevent you from falling asleep at the wheel. The Government's well-founded advice includes:

Before you start your journey

• Plan your journey to include a 15-minute break for every two hours of driving
• Have a good night's sleep before setting out on a long journey
• Remember the risks if you have to get up unusually early to start your trip, or have a long drive home after a full day's work
• Avoid making long trips between midnight and 6am or between 2pm and 4pm when natural alertness is low
• Even a small amount of alcohol, some medicines and drugs can make you drowsy and put you in danger of falling asleep at the wheel

When you are on your journey

• Take a 15-minute break every two hours of driving
• If you start to feel sleepy, find a safe place to stop (not the hard shoulder of a motorway) as soon as possible
• Drinking two cups of coffee or other high caffeine drink and having a rest to allow time for the caffeine to kick in are effective methods of combating sleepiness
• Share the driving if possible

If you want to hand out this advice to friends, family or work colleagues to help this campaign and prevent accidents, you can download a PDF version of the ‘Wake up to the signs of tiredness’ leaflet from the THINK! Road Safety website.

We want you to be as safe on the roads as you can, and this includes avoiding driving fatigue. For more information, consult our quick feature guide on having a stress-free journey.

You don’t want to take any chance driving while tired, so don’t risk driving without adequate car insurance either. See how much you could save with Direct Line and get a car insurance quote online.

Related information:

Dangerously mobile – it’s now an offence to drive whilst using a mobile – we highlight the risks and how to safely use mobile devices when in your car

Driving in adverse weather conditions – key tips to help you stay safe while driving in bad weather

Clear view – advice on driving in the countryside