Fatigue-related Road Deaths

Our city streets and motorways are generally designed to have features that help prevent accidents, and make it safe for us to drive on. However, what if the problem lies not in the quality of our roads, but in our poor state of mind and body? Stress and fatigue are two major factors which impair our ability to concentrate or make decisions, and these two make for a deadly combination on our streets. Fatigue is among the leading causes of accidents in our roads today.

Fatigue Is A Major Factor In Most Road Accidents Today

A series of studies conducted by the US National Transportation Safety Board has concluded that fatigue is a major reason for most vehicular accidents today. The NTSB further concludes that an estimated 52 percent of all single-vehicle accidents were fatigue-related.

Driver fatigue is blamed for around 30 percent of all commercial road transport accidents, and the NTSB also notes that almost 50 percent of long-haul drivers have been verified to fall asleep while behind the wheel. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also notes that an estimated 56,000 sleep-related road accidents happen each year in the US, which has resulted in more than 40,000 injuries and ,550 deaths.

How Fatigue Impairs A Driver’s Senses

If you’re tired and sleepy, but you need to drive home after a hard day’s grind at the office, or after lounging on a few drinks. You open the windows, or turn on your car’s air conditioning system to keep you cool. However, if you’re tired, you’re less likely to safely drive, and will also be unable to keep pedestrians, other motorists and even yourself safe. Fatigue considerably lessens a person’s ability to react and decide quickly. When you’re driving, you constantly need to stay alert and focused on the road, so that you’ll easily be able to spot any potential hazards or road blocks. But when you’re driving tired, your chances of falling asleep behind the wheel are much higher.

Stats On Fatigue-Related Road Deaths Worldwide

In Great Britain, it’s estimated that 45,000 people are maimed or killed in road accidents annually. British road safety experts stress that driver fatigue is among the major causes of road accidents, and is responsible for 20 percent of all vehicular crashes in the United Kingdom. In New Zealand, a study conducted in 1997 showed that of the 370 motor vehicle crashes for that year, fatigue was responsible for at least 7 percent of the mishaps. The Road Safety Authority of Ireland also states that one in five road accidents came as a direct result of driver fatigue.

Driving when you’re tired or sleepy can be fatal. Driving when tired actually increases a person’s risk of falling asleep at the wheel, and if an accident is caused by fatigue, then the driver could end up facing a string of criminal and civil charges. To ensure that you drive safely on the road, always make sure that you’re fit to drive, and if you’re planning a long journey, you need to be able to get a good night’s sleep before you drive the vehicle.