ROAD safety charity Brake has produced a checklist to help alleviate the problem of drivers falling asleep behind the wheel.

It says that although it is tempting to drive while drowsy, it is impossible to stop eventually falling asleep at the wheel. Winding down the window or turning up music in a bid to keep yourself awake does not work. Brake's advice to drivers, included in a new leaflet it has produced, is:

  • Never drive if you feel tired
  • Get enough sleep before a long drive
  • Take a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours. Account for these breaks when planning your journey time
  • Stop sooner if you feel tired. Sleep is the only answer. Park somewhere safe, for example near the main doors of motorway services. Lock your doors and hide valuables from view,
  • Set a travel alarm clock and sleep for up to 15 minutes
  • When you feel alert again, drive on. If you don't, stay put. The organisation says that tiredness is thought to cause more than one in five deaths on 'monotonous roads' such as motorways.

  • For copies of the leaflet, which costs £1.50 for 10 plus postage and packing, email hcurtis@brake.org.uk