Vehicle accidents involving drivers falling asleep at the wheel are more common than is generally realised, and also more likely to result in death or serious injury. Accident reporting forms have no facilities for assigning such causal factors as driver sleepiness, in many countries including the UK. Therefore, it is not always easy to identify relevant accidents. Accident studies show that few sleep-related accidents occur on urban roads, but that long, undemanding, monotonous driving is very liable to sleepiness. The time of day of driving is very relevant, and such accidents are mainly due to lack of sleep rather than sleep abnormalities. This paper discusses how to forewarn drivers about falling asleep, in-vehicle devices to alert sleepy drivers, and the process of falling asleep at the wheel. The best advice to a driver who feels likely to fall asleep at the wheel is to stop driving as soon as possible. The next best measure is to take a stimulant such as caffeine.
Abstract