Driver Tiredness Kills

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DriverTiredness Kills
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Aims of the training

• To raise your awareness of the dangers of driver
  tiredness
• To challenge some of the myths we have about
  driver tiredness
• To provide effective countermeasures to enable
  you to cope with the problem

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Background

• Most people dont take sleep seriously
• Tiredness is seen as a weakness
• Most of us dont get enough sleep
• Sleep is not cool
• Staying awake is seen as macho, cool, young

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just a little bit further
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• QUIZ

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Fatigue and tiredness whats the difference?

• Fatigue
• Impairment due to prolonged physical or mental
  work
• Solution rest (not necessarily sleep)

• Tiredness
• The likelihood of falling asleep
• Solution sleep (rest is not sufficient)

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Facts and figures

• Causes more than 20 of motorway accidents
• Most frequent cause of accidental death of truck
  drivers
• Accidents worse - high speed, no avoidance
• 3 times more likely to result in death or serious
  injury
• Those with sleep problems are twice as likely to
  have an accident at work

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Facts and figures

• Annual Average Probability of Occupational
  Fatality
• Deep Sea Fishing 1 in 750
• Coal Mining 1 in 7,100
• Car Driving (25,000 miles/year) 1 in 8,000
• Construction 1 in 10,000
• Agriculture 1 in 13,500
• Service Industries 1 in 150,000   

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
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Driver Tiredness kills
Performance after 18 hours of wakefulness is
comparable to that of a drunk driver.
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When do tiredness-related accidents occur?
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Who is most at risk?

• Shift workers
• - especially on the first night shift
• Driving home after a night shift
• Truck drivers
• Company car drivers
• Men
• - particularly aged 18-24 and 40
• Skilled manual workers

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Causes of Driver Tiredness
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Sleep is vital

• We cannot live without sleep
• We need about 7-8 hours of sleep every day
• Not enough sleep leads to
• attention difficulties
• slower reaction times
• slower, muddled thinking
• erratic speed control
• sloppy steering
• Effects of sleep loss build up
• Recovery usually takes 2 full nights of sleep

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The body clock
siesta time

• minimum alertness
• poor performance

• maximum alertness
• maximum performance

early morning
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A good nights sleep .
Wake
REM
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
0400
2400
0500
0600
0700
0100
0200
0300
Time of day (hours)
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Alcohol, drugs sleep

• Alcohol
• causes early morning awakening and disturbed
  sleep
• worsens existing sleepiness
• Sleeping pills
• Designed for short-term use
• effects can last too long and make you sleepy at
  work
• can have side effects
• smallest dose, shortest time, supervised by your
  doctor

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Over-the-counter medicines

• Bought without prescription, but many can cause
  significant daytime sleepiness
• Remedies for
• - Colds and flu
• - Allergies (e.g. Hay fever)
• - Travel sickness
• Often contain medicine used to aid sleep

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Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

• Large neck (collar size over 43 cm/17 inches)
• Overweight
• Men, aged over 50
• Heavy snoring
• Choking during sleep
• Daytime sleepiness

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Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea affects 5 of the general
population and at least 20 of truck drivers
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time for a break
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Group discussion

• Have you ever felt yourself falling asleep at
  the wheel?
• What happened?
• What do you do to cope with driver tiredness?

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Myths

• HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS
• Doesnt exist - just another name for falling
  asleep

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(No Transcript)
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These will not keep you awake

• Sucking lemons
• Sticking pins in your wrist
• Holding money out of the window
• Recounting past romances
• Shaking your head violently
• Putting your hair up in the sun roof

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Myths about tiredness
Cold air will keep me awake

• The Facts are
• Cold air on your face will not keep you awake
• nor will listening to the radio,
• . or chewing gum,
• . or stretching the legs
• Willpower will not keep you awake

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Myths about tiredness
Ive been this tired before, and I can cope

• The Facts are
• When you are sleepy
• - you over-estimate your alertness
• - your judgment is not as good
• Microsleeps are uncontrollable and inevitable
• Determination wont stop you from falling asleep
• It is harder to cope with shift work as you get
  older

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Effective counter measures
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Shared responsibilities
Organisational
Individual

• Health and safety
• workload breaks
• shift duration
• type of work

• Fitness to work
• sleep not just rest
• medical condition
• medication

• Work organisation
• shift scheduling
• work predictability
• pay system

• Life outside work
• family responsibilities
• commuting
• lifestyle

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A healthy lifestyle

• Eat a balanced diet
• Dont go to bed too full or too hungry
• Avoid caffeine/alcohol before bed
• To relax, have a warm bath or shower before bed
• Exercise regularly, but not just before bedtime

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The ideal sleep environment

• Dark room - mask/heavy curtains
• Quiet room - turn off the phone
• - Do not disturb sign on front door
• - ear plugs
• - white noise machines (e.g. fan)
• Cool temperature c. 18 degrees centigrade
• Comfortable bed firm, supporting, check
  condition

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On the road

• Plan your journey and take a break every 2 hours
• If you are feeling tired STOP DRIVING
• Park somewhere safe
• Call your scheduler if necessary
• Have a couple of cups of strong coffee / caffeine
  drink
• Followed by a 15-20 minute nap
• Remember that this is an emergency measure

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Use of caffeine

• Use caffeine to increase alertness when you need
  it
• Takes about 20 minutes to have an effect
• Dont use it when you are already alert
• Avoid caffeine near bedtime
• Dont dehydrate drink water too
• Effects can be long lasting - know your own
  limits

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The Power Nap
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When would you take a break from driving?
When

• You find it difficult to concentrate?
• You keep adjusting your driving position?
• You are repeatedly stretching and yawning?
• Your head is nodding?
• You are fighting to keep your eyes open?

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Willpower and sleep
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Now when would you take a break?

• Finding it difficult to concentrate
• Adjusting driving position
• Stretching and yawning
• Head nodding
• Fighting to keep eyes open

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Minutes from home?

• The journey home is a high risk time for falling
  asleep at the wheel
• Many accidents occur close to destinations
• We naturally relax and unwind after a long day
  and as we get close to home
• Gives the body a signal that it is safe to sleep
• Dont be tempted to push on - STOP. Take a break.

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At home getting enough sleep

• Get the best sleep possible before starting your
  shift
• When working shift work
• - try to get as much sleep as you would on a day
  off
• - ask your family to help you get adequate sleep
• - when on nights, try not to delay this sleep to
  later in the day
• Listen to your body
• - if you feel sleepy and circumstances allow -
  sleep!

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• QUIZ

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Lets get an early start
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Key Points - Summary

• Fatigue has biological causes
• The effects of sleep loss build up
• If you ignore sleepiness, in the end you will
  fall asleep uncontrollably
• Two full nights in a row of good sleep are needed
  for recovery
• The body clock programmes us to sleep at night
• The body clock does not adapt to night work
• There is no single, simple answer to fatigue
  problems
• These are recommendations find what works for
  you
• Improve your own situation
  now!!!

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How long will you Survive?
No food 3 to 4 weeks No water 3 to 4 days No
shelter 3 to 4 hours
No sleep when driving - 3 to 4 seconds
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Your safety is our goal