PROFESSOR Jim Horne, head of the Loughborough Sleep Research Centre, has spent 10 years looking at the effects of driver fatigue and was at the show to promote a device designed to combat driver fatigue.

A newly-formed company, Pernix Technology Solutions, launched a new device at the show which claims to keep drivers awake and accident-free. With the ASTiD (advisory system for tired drivers), the driver keys in information such as time of day, quality of prior sleep and length and type of driving and the device gives a visual and audial alert when it is time to take a break.

It can even detect exaggerated vehicle movements such as a swerve that may indicate the driver is in danger of nodding off.

Prof Horne said: 'Let's not fool ourselves – these are not accidents, they are crashes. We have already witnessed criminal convictions for both drivers and company directors because in nearly all these cases such crashes are preventable. For less than £500 per vehicle, companies can make an immeasurable improvement to their own and other road users' safety.'