Sleep Driving......

[catso]

Just heard a Radio 'safety' message regarding falling asleep whilst driving, apparently falling asleep whilst driving makes you 50% more likely to be killed or seriously injured??

Only 50% FFS, Sounds like sleep driving is safer than speeding then.

Personally I would think that being asleep whilst driving would be considerably more dangerous.

Perhaps I will try having a kip at 70mph on the Motorway, probably safer than driving at 120mph whilst alert

I'm not knocking the message being given just that they make it sound like it's not that bad to sleep whilst driving.

[deva link]

catso said:

Just heard a Radio 'safety' message regarding falling asleep whilst driving, apparently falling asleep whilst driving makes you 50% more likely to be killed or seriously injured?? Only 50% FFS, Sounds like sleep driving is safer than speeding then. Personally I would think that being asleep whilst driving would be considerably more dangerous. Perhaps I will try having a kip at 70mph on the Motorway, probably safer than driving at 120mph whilst alert I'm not knocking the message being given just that they make it sound like it's not that bad to sleep whilst driving.

This crops us from time to time but it's usually compared to drunken driving.
It always iritates me when child-care 'experts' say couples should share getting up in the night with babies. If one partner drives for a living then this is a recipe for disaster.

[puggit]

Just playing devils advocate - but I've heard stories of people drifting off while doing long motorway drives. Typically the car will steer straightish, rumble strips will be met at some point and the driver suddenly realises the dangerous situation, and so wisely stops at the next safe area for a kip.

[catso]

puggit said:

Just playing devils advocate - but I've heard stories of people drifting off while doing long motorway drives. Typically the car will steer straightish, rumble strips will be met at some point and the driver suddenly realises the dangerous situation, and so wisely stops at the next safe area for a kip.

I'm sure, but that must increase risk of crashing significantly more than 50%

There are people who argue that speeding would increase the risk by more than 50% but I think I'd rather take my chances at speed but awake.

[bga]

puggit said:

Just playing devils advocate - but I've heard stories of people drifting off while doing long motorway drives. Typically the car will steer straightish, rumble strips will be met at some point and the driver suddenly realises the dangerous situation, and so wisely stops at the next safe area for a kip.

My father in law does this all the time. Only on my insistence has he gone to see a doctor about it (last week). Still waiting to hear what the verdict is but I hope it is sortable because he whinges constantly about having to use the train for long journeys.

[streaky]

Avoid roads crossing railway lines - Streaky

[wolves_wanderer]

catso said:

Just heard a Radio 'safety' message regarding falling asleep whilst driving, apparently falling asleep whilst driving makes you 50% more likely to be killed or seriously injured??

Well according to TfL, every 1mph reduction in speed leads to a 6% reduction in accidents, therefore if you drive 10mph more slowly than usual you will be safer asleep

[regmolehusband]

I heard the same thing on the radio yesterday. They mentioned that when asleep you don't get the same opportunity to brake so the assumption is you plough into something at a much higher speed than in other types of accident.

Seems reasonable to me.

Reg