Government launches tired driving campaign
Date: 26/03/2008 12:00:00
Motorists across the country are being urged not to drive tired - which could see them risk more than a car insurance claim.
Actor Joseph Fiennes has teamed up with the government to launch a new campaign that urges motorists to stop for a break when they see the first warning sign of tiredness - a yawn.
A recent YouGov poll highlighted that only 18 per cent of drivers pull over for a rest when they start yawning.
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."
He added that people who drive for work reasons are particularly at risk, suggesting that motorists take frequent breaks.
As part of the campaign, Fiennes has leant his voice to a radio commercial and advertising is being carried out on journey planning websites.
In January, a study by road safety charity Brake showed that ten per cent of people who dive for work reasons have fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year.