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Awake with ex-cops
Page 12
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• Road safety consultants Awake have recruited a team of former traffic police officers as part of their work to reduce accidents caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
Research carried out by the Loughborough Sleep Research Centre suggests that driving when tired is more dangerous than driving when drunk. Awake says the new recruits will add weight to its training courses by sharing their first-hand experiences of the results of driver sleepiness.
Awake MD Dr Paul Jackson (pictured) says: "When we started recruiting we were approached by many former police officers who wanted to be part of Awake. They are a powerful way of getting our message across in what, in many cases, are strong 'macho' work cultures—people listen to policemen."
He praised the government's Think—Don't Drive Tired advertising campaign, despite
criticism from some quarters that it was inadequate. "People have become more aware of the problem in recent months thanks to the campaign," he says. "They know they should be doing something about driver tiredness.
"But some of the countermeasures they have put in place are not effective. We've heard all sorts; one driver told us that he recited his sexual exploits out loud and in great detail to keep himself awake!"
Drivers need to realise the only method of combating tiredness is to stop driving and take a 15-minute nap, he says."