The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána have jointly launched the August Bank Holiday Road Safety Campaign, as road fatality figures show that over the past five years (2010 to 2014), 12 people have been killed and 27 people have been seriously injured on Irish roads over this period.
The focus of this year’s campaign is driver fatigue and to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while tired, the RSA will be screening a new TV ad campaign ‘Signs’ in the lead-up to the bank holiday weekend.
It is estimated that driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as one in five driver deaths in Ireland every year. Furthermore, tiredness-related collisions are three times more likely to be fatal or result in a serious injury because of the high impact speed and lack of avoiding action.
A survey of drivers’ attitudes to driver fatigue conducted by the RSA in 2014 revealed that over one in 10 motorists have fallen asleep at the wheel. The survey also found that motorists who drive as part of their work, and motorists who admit to driving after taking any amount of alcohol, had a higher than average incidence of falling asleep at the wheel (almost one in five fell asleep at the wheel).
The RSA has produced a 40 second TV ad which provides drivers with advice on what to do if they feel sleepy while driving. If a driver fights sleep while driving, it’s the same as driving while over the drink drive limit. The message behind the ad is to recognise the signs that you are too tired to continue driving, and then Stop, Sip, Sleep. Stop the car in a safe place, sip a caffeine drink, and sleep for 15-20 minutes. This should enable you to continue driving for another hour or so.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.