DEPARTMENT FOR
TRANSPORT News Release (057) issued by The Government News Network
on 25 March 2008
Actor Joseph
Fiennes urges motorists: Don't drive tired
Acting star Joseph Fiennes is the voice of a new Government
campaign launched today to remind motorists of the dangers of
driving when tired.
One in five of all crashes on major roads are caused by tired
drivers but research shows many motorists are ignoring the
simplest sign - the common yawn - that it's time for a break.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said:
"We all want to finish our journeys as quickly as possible
but being tired at the wheel is a proven killer that we cannot ignore.
"People who drive for work are particularly at risk but
there are simple steps we can all take to make our journeys safer.
Plan regular stops into a long trip and if you find yourself
yawning pull over and take a break - this could make the
difference between life and death."
A You Gov poll of British drivers announced today shows only 18%
of motorists always take a yawn as a sign to pull over.
Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert from the Clinical Trials and
Research Unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said:
"People read a yawn all wrong - they often mistake the
energising effect that comes immediately after as a sign they can
carry on, but tests prove this is not the case.
"Yawning quite simply means you're on the road to
falling asleep - so if you're yawning behind the wheel it
really is time to pull over."
Out of the 1,500 motorists polled by You Gov only one in five
(22%) always plan breaks in their car journeys, while more than a
quarter (26%) admit to having driven for up to or more than four
hours without a break.
The poll also showed that:
* Four percent have driven for more than seven hours without a break.
* More than half (54%) of motorists at least occasionally try to
beat their journey time on a trip they have done before.
* Three-quarters of motorists open a window to keep themselves
awake on a long journey, while 4% shake their head vigorously and
3% slap their face.
Many drivers believe they can fight fatigue but the only real
cure is sleep. The THINK! campaign's advice is straightforward:
* Don't start a long trip if you're already tired.
* Plan your journey to include a 15-minute break every two hours.
* If you feel drowsy find a safe place to stop (not the hard shoulder).
* As an emergency measure drink two cups of coffee or a
high-caffeine drink and have a rest for 10-15 minutes to allow
time for the caffeine to kick in.
The new £800,000 THINK! campaign includes a new hard-hitting
radio advert featuring Joseph Fiennes, online advertising on
journey planning websites, partnership marketing and messaging at
service station washrooms, forecourts and petrol pumps. The
campaign has been primarily targeted at people who drive for work
as research shows they are at particular risk.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.
Total sample size was 2,071 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken
between 17th and 19th March 2008. The survey was carried out
online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of
all GB adults (aged 18+)
2. Research on accidents caused by tired drivers is Driver
Sleepiness: Overview of findings from phrase three of the DfT
research programme, 16th August 2001. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme3/driversleepinessno21
3. For more information on driving when tired visit http://www.dft.gov.uk/think
4. The campaign has a number of partners including EasyCar and Michelin.
5. Neil Stanley Biography
Dr. Neil Stanley has been involved in sleep research since 1982
when he started working at the Neurosciences Division of the
R.A.F. Institute of Aviation Medicine.
In the early 1990 he moved to the Human Psychopharmacology
Research Unit, part of the University of Surrey, where as Director
of Sleep Research he created and ran a 24 bed clinical trials
sleep lab. He has 27 peer-reviewed publications on many aspects of
sleep research and psychopharmacology.
He is member of the Executive Committee of the Assembly of
National Sleep Societies which is currently writing guidelines for
sleep medicine education in Europe and is past Chairman of the
British Sleep Society. He recently took up post as Manager of the
Clinical Trials & Research Unit at the Norwich and Norfolk
University Hospital.