Safety pledges for business drivers

One in ten business drivers have admitted falling asleep at the wheel in the past year, according to new research by road safety charity Brake and Green Flag.

The shocking figure is more than twice as high as the number of drivers who don’t drive for work but who say they have nodded off behind the wheel.

According to Brake, falling asleep for just a second or two can kill. Travelling at 60mph on a motorway - one of the main types of road where fatigue commonly occurs - a driver covers 27 metres per second.

The new study reveals that one of the main causes of nodding off at the wheel is insufficient sleep the night before and that business motorists are more likely to drive after insufficient sleep.

Half of people who drive for work who were surveyed said they sometimes drive after less than five hours’ sleep, compared to just over a third of people who drive only outside work.

Brake is now urging all companies with employees who drive for work to ensure they have robust systems in place to prevent tired driving.

This includes having a thorough safe driving policy, setting realistic schedules and ensuring employees are aware of the dangers of driving tired.