Tiredness is one the biggest causes of fatal collisions. We’ll be talking to experts to understand the signs and how to combat tiredness and driver fatigue. Doncaster was the scene of a serious fatal collision some years ago where the driver fell asleep having been at work for over 25 hours – the driver crashed into another vehicle killing himself and his colleague. The company that employed them was prosecuted and earlier this year found guilty of a number of management failings.
Renown Consultants to pay £750k after double fatal crash
A judge has fined Renown Consultants £450,000 and ordered it to pay £300,000 in costs after it failed to ensure the safety of its drivers.
Zac Payne, 20, and Michael Morris, 48, died on June 19, 2013, when Payne fell asleep at the wheel of a work van, while driving back to Doncaster after a night shift in Stevenage.
Our survey
Results from a 2017 national survey of the effects of fatigue on trainees in anaesthesia in the UK shows these worrying statistics.
Health concerns
73% reported negative physical effects resulting from fatigue
Driving
57% have experienced an accident or near-miss after a night shift
Mental health
71.2% felt fatigue has impacted their psychological wellbeing
Personal impact
67.9% reported fatigue was effecting their relationships
An exhausted trainee anaesthetist was tragically killed after falling asleep at the wheel of their car in 2015. This isn’t an isolated incident. Our recent survey showed that many doctors have experienced an accident or near miss when driving home after a night shift. It’s time to change the culture of fatigue in the healthcare profession. We need to #FightFatigue together.
The #FightFatigue campaign is a joint initiative of the Association of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM). Since its launch in 2018, Numerous organisations and politicians have pledged their support. More information about the campaign be found at: www.anaesthetists.org/FightFatigue
Dr Emma Plunkett, Co-Chair of the Association of Anaesthetists Joint Fatigue Working Group talks about the impact of fatigue on the NHS workforce.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Studies have shown that when a driver with untreated OSA and excessive sleepiness gets behind the wheel of a vehicle, they are between three and nine times more likely to have an accident and that the accident is likely to be of increased severity.
Alarmingly, sleepiness or tiredness is believed to be responsible for roughly 20 per cent of all motorway accidents, and much of this will be due to OSA; and it’s a particular problem for those who drive professionally, and who spend much of their lives on long-distance journeys.
Professor John Stradling, Emeritus Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Oxford University, says it is vitally important that transport companies put their own, supportive, fast-track policies in place.
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