A DAMNING new survey has revealed the full extent of drivers' attitudes towards the problem of tiredness at the wheel. One in 10 drivers interviewed by motoring assistance provider Green Flag admitted falling asleep while driving and only 17% said they took the recommended breaks while on long journeys.

The problem is not just confined to motorways. Of those who had fallen sleep, 40% said they had done so on an A road and a further 10% in a country lane. Apart from the few who took regular breaks, 15% never bothered to stop, 12.5% only stopped to refuel and amazingly, only one in five said they stopped when they needed a toilet break! Among remedies for staying awake, half the drivers surveyed opened a window and 12.5% chatted to passengers.

Even when stopping, only 15% bothered to take a short sleep. Some 20% grabbed a quick coffee and drove on regardless, another 20% went for a walk and 45% took half an hour to sit down and have a drink. And most did not have an excuse for their actions. Sixty per cent said they had no excuse at all but 80% believed not enough publicity was given to the problem and 62.5% felt publicity would help combat it.