Courier drivers warned over driving when tired
Date: 16 November 2007
Getting behind the wheel when tired could be as dangerous for courier drivers as driving when under the influence of alcohol.
A new report from What Car? revealed that drivers suffering from a lack of sleep actually performed worse behind the wheel than those who were 25 per cent over the drink-driving limit.
In tests conducted at the Transport Research Library, one driver was asked to stay awake until 3am and the other drank 12 units of alcohol through the night before driving in a simulator.
At 25 per cent over the legal alcohol limit, the second driver was 25 per cent less able to maintain a good distance from the car in front. The sleep-deprived driver was 39 per cent less able to control stopping distance.
"It's not surprising to learn that drink seriously affects driving ability, but it is worrying to discover that a sober person's driving ability can suffer more when they are tired," said Steve Fowler, group editor for What Car?.
A poll by the magazine found that 40 per cent of respondents had fallen asleep behind the wheel, with 22 per cent doing it more then once.
Road safety charity Brake has advised courier drivers that there are 'warning signs' to look out for before sleep takes over. These include difficulty concentrating, heavy eyelids and relaxed neck muscles making the head droop.
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