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Tiredness

Have you ever felt sleepy while driving?                                         

Only you know your body and it's up to you to recognise that you are tired and to do something about it. There are obvious symptoms we all know about - our eyelids feel heavy, our heads start nodding and waves of tiredness are felt.

You may be able to spot other signs too; inability to concentrate, clumsiness and forgetfulness are all clues to watch out for.

Up to 30% of accidents on high speed roads are probably caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

Drivers do not have to be tired to fall asleep. Even well rested drivers can become drowsy if they are affected by their biological clock at certain times of the day - particularly mid afternoon and in the early hours of the morning. No amount of will power will keep you awake.

If you start to feel tired on a journey:

• Open the windows to get some fresh air and stop as soon as it is safe to take a break
• If you are on a motorway, don't ever stop on the hard shoulder, take the next exit and find a suitable place to park or stop at the next motorway service area.

How to prevent fatigue:

• Plan to stop for a 15 minute break every two hours on a long journey
• Share the driving if possible
• Make sure you have adequate rest before commencing your journey
• Try to avoid driving long distances after a long day at work