Accidents caused by fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel were increasing at an alarming rate due to hectic work schedules which include night shifts, said SSP Lucky Pieris, Director Traffic Administration and Road Safety of Sri Lanka police.
Speaking at a seminar on Thursday, organized by the Road Traffic Accidents Prevention Committee of the Sri Lanka Medical Association on prevention of motor accidents due to fatigue and sleepiness, he emphasized the urgent need to introduce measures such as providing rest areas for motorists along highways, expressways and other roads.
Giving statistics, he said in 2007 179 fatigue-related accidents of which 22 were fatal were reported, compared to 171, of which 13 were fatal in 2006. The most vulnerable age group in this category included those between 21-36 years while commercial drivers who worked night shifts were those most at risk.
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| File photo. Drivers who work long hours are most at risk |
The majority of vehicles involved in these types of accidents were dual purpose vehicles, lorries and cars, while the most vulnerable times were 1-5 a.m., 1-2 p.m., 5-6p.m. and 11-12 midnight.
He said globally it has been estimated that 16.5 to 17.8 percent of traffic accidents are fatigue related adding that driving under sleep deprivation and fatigue was categorised as dangerous driving in Australia, while in the US an individual causing a fatal accident due to driver fatigue could be charged with vehicular homicide.
SSP Pieris added although the Sri Lanka Motor Traffic Act stipulates an individual driving for more than ten hours consecutively should have an interval of not less than half an hour in which the driver is able to obtain rest and refreshment, a number of drivers of commercial vehicles tended to ignore this rule due to various pressures he said.
Chairperson of Road Traffic Accidents Prevention Committee Sri Lanka Medical Association Professor A.H. Sheriffdeen addressing the seminar said mental stress and long hours of intense intellectual activity could also cause drowsiness while driving. “Most of the accidents were caused due to ‘micro sleep’ -a state where one fell asleep for a second or more and and immediately wakes up. Getting up from a micro-sleep may not give you the reaction time to take corrective action and an accident is inevitable,” he said.
Signs of fatigue include frequent yawning, disinterest in conversing with passengers, restlessness and shifting about on the seat. Other signs include erratic driving, making sharp adjustments to keep the vehicle in the lane, missing road signs, frequent nodding, irritability and an insistence on passengers remaining quiet.
According to Professor Sheriffdeen accidents related to airport drops for departure flights at night were some of the commonest. Others included accidents during pilgrimages and holiday trips where drivers often have poor sleeping/resting facilities. Colombo-based taxi drivers who worked 24 hour shifts, drivers of container trucks, lorry and bus drivers who worked long hours were also at risk. He said drivers who felt fatigued or sleepy while driving should stop immediately and take about a 10-15 minute ‘power nap’.
Dr. Subhash Rupesinghe of the National Injury Surveillance System of the Health Ministry said a research on how drivers combat sleepinness/drowsiness revealed that only 9.09% drivers took a power-nap, while 31.83% had a cup of tea or coffee, 18.18% percent smoked and 13.64% took a short walk. There were those who chewed bubble gum, talked with a partner/other passengers or washed their faces.The research had revealed that 68.75% drivers continued driving despite feeling fatigued as they felt confident of completing their journey.
Professor Shyam Fernando, of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo said a fatigued driver was as dangerous as a drunk driver and studies revealed drivers who had been awake for 24 hours had a similar driving performance to that of a person who had a blood alcohol content of 0.1g/100ml (over the legal limit)
Pointing out that 15% of Sri Lanka’s population are diabetics, he said those under medication needed to be extra cautious when driving. “ If a person misses a meal, having taken diabetic medication, the glucose level in the blood can fall to dangerously low levels The effect of low blood glucose on the brain is somewhat similar to that of alcohol,” he said.
He added common medicaments such as those used for allergies, catarrh (eg: piriton), vomiting and travel sickness, cough syrups, painkillers, drug used for epilepsy and psychiatric illnesses also cause drowsiness.Therefore those driving under the influence of those drugs too should be extra cautious.
Dr. Asela Anthony attached to the National Hospital explaining fatigue management said balanced meals and good mental health helped prevent fatigue. He said having regular medical check ups avoiding alcohol and illicit drugs, are among the best ways to prevent fatigue.
He advised drivers to draw up a schedule or plan prior to starting a journey and suggested a minimum of six hours of sleep a day and napping in-between driving sessions especially if the journey was over two to three hours.
Breaks for meals and plenty to drink was important he said while emphasising there were many misconceptions including that adjusting the air conditioner to a cooler temperature or splashing one’s face with water, having a cup of coffee, stretching, walking, talking to passengers or even singing can reduce fatigue or combat sleepiness.
Dr. Anthony stressed smoking and drinking coffee did not overcome drowsiness. Rest areas with adequate parking space is an urgent requirement he said adding that shoulder edge rumble strips have been shown to reduce vehicles running off the road by 15%.
Medical screening of drivers (particularly heavy vehicle and commercial drivers), regulations to rationalize work times, duty hours and educating drivers and managers will lead to minimizing accidents caused by driver fatigue he said.
He said providing information on the nature of driver fatigue was essential to combat accidents and such information should be included in the curriculum of manuals of driving schools.
In commercial situations he said the ultimate responsibility for driver fatigue should be with the employer.
Rules, regulations, fines and penalties
The recently passed Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act of 2007 introduces a set of rules and regulations in relation to obtaining of driving licence as well as a significant increase in penalty on road-rule violaters.
The new regulations and penalties under the Motor Traffic(Amendment) Act of 2007 include:Revenue licences will not be issued unless a Certificate of Fitness and an Emission Certificate is produced.
n Assembling of vehicles except with branded new parts is prohibited: Penalty for violation Rs. 50,000/ to Rs.100, 000/-
- Use of seatbelts made compulsory: A fine not exceeding Rs.2000/- will be imposed if violation is proved.
- Disfiguring or destroying a Certificate of Registration of a motor vehicle is an offence (penalty for violation Rs. 15,000/ to Rs. 25,000/-)
- Manufacture, assembly or modifcation of motor vehicles is prohibited except with prior written permission of the Commissioner General.
- Importing of prohibited vehicles: Penalty for violation Rs. 300,000/- to Rs, 500,000/-
- Driving with a suspended/cancelled or expired driving licence: Penalty Rs. 5000-10,000
- Penalty for not carrying a valid driving licence including the endorsement form: Rs. 2,500 – Rs. 5,000/-.
- Causing annoyance discomfort or harm to any person or causing damage to endangering other vehicles or causing damage to property on or adjoining the road would be an offence. Penalty: Rs.10,000/- to Rs. 20,000)
- The use of multi-tone horn or any other sound-producing device giving loud or alarming noises are prohibited. Penalty: Rs.3,000/- to Rs. 5,000/-
- Vehicles emitting smoke, grease or oily substances which cause health hazards, annoyance injury or damage to any road, public place or property, shall be guilty of an offence. Penalty: Rs. 2,000/- to Rs. 5,000/-.
- Fitting sound amplifying equipment to vehicles is prohibited: Penalty Rs. 3,000/to Rs. 5,000/;
- Driving without a Certificate of Insurance or Certificate of Fitness or Emission Certificate is an offence. Penalty: Rs.5,000/-to Rs. 25,000/-, one month’s imprisonment or both. Suspension of driving licence for a period of 12 months.
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