From sleepless nights, increased drinking and a series of health complaints, a new survey reveals risks to driver safety as recession stress takes over
- 1 in 3 drivers have less than 6 hours sleep a night and more than half of men and 44% of women admit to driving after sleepless nights
- 24% of motorists admit to drinking more to stop them worrying about the credit crunch
- Drivers in the South East worst affected by recession stress with one quarter experiencing health problems
12 January 2010 - British motorists are being driven to record stress levels, with a new survey revealing how drivers are suffering from a lack of sleep and a series of health complaints due to recession worries, with almost a quarter of respondents turning to alcohol to help them cope with the economic climate.
Sparking fresh concerns for road safety, the survey, by leading car hire comparator Carrentals.co.uk, questioned over 1,000 drivers on their experiences during the recession and revealed that added stress had led to motorists experiencing a series of health complaints – such as panic attacks, headaches and breathing difficulties, with respondents in the south east reporting the highest number of health problems.
Almost a quarter of the drivers questioned also admitted that they were drinking more to help cope with the recession, with 41-50 year olds reporting the biggest increase in alcohol consumed – the same age group that reported the highest number of job losses (30%), pay cuts (34%) and higher mortgage payments (42%).
Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “The last year has been a very difficult time for most of the UK, as people have come under added pressure both at work and in their personal lives. However, the number of drivers turning to alcohol to help them cope was much higher than we expected, with this increasing our concerns for road safety.
“Even consuming a lot of alcohol the night before can result in drivers still being over the legal limit the morning after, so anyone who has a few too many should take time to sober up properly before driving or else make other arrangements.”
Health problems were further highlighted by the survey, with women seeming to be more commonly affected than men, with 63% of women having suffered panic attacks due to recession stress; two thirds experiencing headaches; and over half (54%) having suffered breathing difficulties.
The survey also revealed that one in three have less than six hours sleep a night and more than half of men and 44% of women admit to driving after sleepless nights. London was found to be the place where drivers had the least sleep, while those in the North East of England were found to get the most sleep, with over 75% getting at least seven hours a night.
“Few people realise the dangers of driving on limited sleep” says Gareth, “but driver tiredness is actually the cause of one in five road accidents in the UK, with motorists suffering from reduced reaction speeds and some falling asleep at the wheel. We would advise any motorists suffering from sleep deprivation to avoid driving whenever possible, with anyone driving for more than two hours at a time encouraged to take regular breaks to rest.”
Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Budget, easyCar, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 9,000 locations worldwide. i/p v ncreases are based on individual examples from companies featured on Carrentals.co.uk. **Prices based on seven-day rental from 13 February 2010 and are subject to change
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