Car Insurance

More drivers are falling asleep at the wheel - putting themselves and others at risk. Millions of drivers are putting themselves and others at risk of accident and injury by driving while feeling tired, experts have found. As well as endangering themselves and other road users, these sleepy drivers are racking up higher car insurance costs by increasing the number of accidents on the road. In a survey by the RAC, almost half of the motorists interviewed said they drove when drowsy and a third said they had been close to falling asleep. A further 11 per cent of motorists admitted to driving more than 500 miles without a break, while 70 per

cent believed winding down the window could stave off fatigue. But experts claim motorists are taking extreme risks with their wallets as well as their lives, as drivers causing accidents whilst drowsy are claiming more on their car insurance as a result – meaning they will find it harder to find a cheap car insurance quote in the future. Jim Horne, a sleep specialist, told the BBC drivers were taking serious risks if they ignored tiredness. "They don't seem to realise that crashes involving falling asleep at the wheel are more likely to be fatal because of the absence of braking and greater speed at impact," he said.