RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

December 20, 2006
DOUBLE DANGER FOR DRIVERS THIS CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

Drivers need to act now to beat the double dangers of drink and fatigue which increase at Christmas time, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warned today.

Good forward planning can make motorists safer by removing the temptation to be behind the wheel after drinking or when too tired to be on the road over the holiday.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA Head of Road Safety, said: “It is terrible that Christmases are still ruined needlessly because of drivers being over the limit or falling asleep.

“If you know you are going to a party or are likely to have to drive a long distance at Christmas or New Year, then make arrangements now to ensure you will be safe to drive.

“Last year far too many people failed to do that and nearly 300 a day were caught drinking and driving during December. That’s 300 people who will have lost their licences and threatened the lives of others on the road instead of making sure they had an alternative means of transport, someone else to drive them or somewhere to stay.

“Fatigue is also a major problem at this time of year with people making long journeys to visit friends and relatives. Research has shown that on motorways and trunk roads a quarter of all crashes that cause death or serious injury are sleep related. Those are the types of road many people will be using over the next fortnight.

“Motorists should not set out on a long journey if they are tired and they should take rest breaks at least every two hours.

“Other things that can help are sharing driving, not being on the road in the early hours and making overnight stops. Use an alternative means of transport if you can.”

Sleep is the only cure for tiredness, but if you start to feel drowsy while at the wheel: find somewhere safe to stop; drink one or two cups of strong coffee or other high caffeine drinks; and take a nap for about 15 minutes.

RoSPA’s advice on safe journey planning can be found at www.rospa.com/pdfs/road/safejourney.pdf .