Driving while tired

Road safety charity Brake states fatigue contributes to 4% of fatal road crashes and 2% of all collisions in Britain. With their data also revealing 1 in 8 drivers admitting to falling asleep behind the wheel, it’s important to understand the dangers of drowsy driving.

Driving while sleepy can increase the risk of an accident. Even dozing off for just a few seconds can lead to a loss of control. If you drive while tired, you could find yourself easily distracted while on the road and slower to react when you need to make key decisions.

Is driving while tired an offence?

While there are no specific laws stating driver fatigue is illegal, tiredness can affect concentration and reaction levels.

This could contribute to potential offences including careless and inconsiderate driving (potentially leading to an unlimited fine and 3 to 9 points on your licence) and in extreme cases, causing death by dangerous driving (potentially life imprisonment, an unlimited fine and 3 to 11 points if not disqualification).

Signs you may be too tired to drive include:

• Excessive yawning
• Dry eyes
• Lack of concentration
• Trouble with your vision
• Blinking more than usual
• Involuntary head nods
• Aches and pains
• You start drifting in the car and driving erratically
• Slower reactions

What are the main causes of driver fatigue?

A 2024 poll by The AA found the following listed as the reasons for feeling tired while driving:

• 1 in 4 drivers said they felt tired while driving after a long or hard day of work.
• 20% said the monotony of the journey made them feel tired.
• 19% said that trying to cover too much distance in one go contributed to their tiredness.

Other contributions to driver fatigue include:

• The time of day - The Highway Code Rule 91 recommends you ‘avoid undertaking long journeys between midnight and 6am when natural alertness is at a minimum’.
• Sleep deprivation - If you haven’t been able to get some rest the night before your journey or you have an existing sleep disorder, these can affect your judgement so be careful when setting off.
• Medication - Check the side-effects before getting behind the wheel as some can make you drowsy.
• Jetlag - Driving to or from the airport at an unnatural time, or following a long flight? Make sure you’re fully rested and alert before going too far.
• A disability, ill health or medical condition - You must tell the DVLA about any health issues that could affect your driving. The A-Z list on the government website contains extensive guidance on various medical conditions.

What should I do if I start feeling drowsy while driving?

If you have a long journey coming up, you could plan your rest breaks before heading off. The Highway Code recommends ‘A minimum break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving’. Take these regular breaks and consider an overnight stay if necessary.

Stop and take a break as soon as you feel tired (and as soon as it is safe to do so). If you’re driving on the motorway, you could stop at a service station to freshen up, get some caffeine or have a nap.

If you’re driving an electric vehicle, you could align your rest stops with a recharge.

If you feel tired, you could share the driving. To do this, you can use temporary car insurance. Available in an instant, this is a flexible way of letting someone else take the wheel. It’s fully comprehensive and won’t affect your no claims discount.

Try opening the windows to let some fresh air into your vehicle. Although there are mixed reviews of how effective this is, it is recommended by Motoring Research. It may, at least, provide a temporary sensation of alertness but will not help with general driver fatigue.

Before any journey, National Highways recommends following the T.R.I.P. method:

• T - Top up your fluids (fuel, oil, screen wash).
• R - Rest every two hours.
• I - Inspect your tyres.
• P - Prepare for different types of weather.

Other tips to stay alert include getting plenty of sleep the night before your travels, eating well and staying hydrated. Always be conscious of how tiredness can affect your driving.

Sources:

https://www.gov.uk/excessive-sleepiness-and-driving

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tiredness-can-kill-advice-for-drivers

https://www.brake.org.uk/get-involved/take-action/mybrake/knowledge-centre/driver-fatigue

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/tired-drivers

https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drowsy-driving

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/drowsy-driving

https://news.motability.co.uk/everyday-tips/spot-signs-of-driving-tiredness/

https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/driving-while-tired

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lklqk4p1vo