A new road safety campaign has been launched by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) of Ireland—you may have already seen it on TV, the cinema or heard the radio advert. This campaign specifically focusses on driver fatigue, offering advice to motorists on the dangers of driving when tired in the form of an easy-to-remember slogan: “Stop, Sip, Sleep”.
Photo Credit: ©RSA.ieDrivers who begin to notice the effects of driver fatigue should follow these guidelines from the RSA:
- Stop: park in a safe place, preferably somewhere where you are able to take refreshment.
- Sip: take a caffeine drink (150 mg of caffeine e.g. 2 cups of coffee).
- Sleep: and then a 15 minute nap (most important)—set your mobile phone alarm to wake you. After the nap, the caffeine should have started to take effect.
- Finally, get some fresh air and stretch your legs for a few minutes before resuming your journey.
By following all of the above advice you should be able to drive for another hour or so. However, these recommendations are really only to be used as a temporary remedy to avoid trouble, NOT as a technique to regularly drive longer hours for the purposes of work. Fatigue is physical and mental impairment brought about by inadequate rest over a period of time; people need seven-eight hours’ proper sleep every night and take appropriate breaks while at work in order to counteract the effects.
Photo Credit: ©RSA.ie
Driver fatigue plays a significant role in 20% of driver fatalities in Ireland every single year. And tiredness-related collisions are 3 times more likely to result in death or serious injury due to the increased chances of high speed impacts and the inability to take evasive action.
A survey conducted in 2014 by the RSA revealed that 10% of motorists have fallen asleep at the wheel. The survey also disclosed that motorists who drive in the course of their work, and motorists that admited to having drunk a quantity of alcohol, had a higher than average incidence of falling asleep at the wheel (almost 20% fell asleep at the wheel).
You can watch the driver fatigue campaign video on the offical RSA page. Hopefully it will successfully sensitize the public to this dangerous issue.
