Article: Falling asleep at wheel major cause of road accidents

SLEEPINESS is a major factor in road accidents and should be considered along with excessive speed and alcohol consumption where prevention is concerned, a specialist has warned.

Dr Walter McNicholas of the Sleep Disorders Unit in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, said studies of motorway accidents in Britain have found that up to a quarter appear to be due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

Accidents are particularly likely to occur in the early morning or mid-afternoon.

He said: "Accidents associated with the driver falling asleep tend to be particularly serious."

Sleepy drivers also report a high incidence of near misses on the road.

Long-haul truck drivers are particularly at risk, Dr ...

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