Fatigue management

19 February 2015

Transport and driver fatigue is a particularly common cause of work-related road traffic collisions resulting in injury or death.

The Road Safety Observatory offers information concerning driver fatigue on its comprehensive website which provides easy access to the best independent road safety research.

Fatigue accounts for up to one fifth of accidents on major roads, yet many people do not see this as a serious problem.

It may be caused by modern lifestyles preventing people getting enough rest. It may be made worse by shift working, especially if combined with the monotonous nature of certain types of driving.

All drivers need to address these problems responsibly, but drivers of heavy goods vehicles and passenger carrying vehicles need to be extra vigilant because they tend to spend more time driving and to drive longer distances than other drivers. Also, accidents involving these large vehicles are more likely to result in death or serious injury than those involving cars or smaller vehicles.