Western Daily Press Late City (Bristol) - 18 Aug 06
NEARLY HALF OF YOUNG DRIVERS ARE 'RISKING THEIR LIVES'. FEELING EXHAUSTED? JUST POP INTO A POD
How's this for a novel idea to improve road safety - capsule, hotel-style energiser pods at a motorway service station to encourage tired drivers to take a break and refuel?
As hundreds of young people prepare to take to the roads this month, research released by Lucozade Energy reveals 49 per cent of motorists between the ages of 17 and 24 risk their lives by driving exhausted after partying all night.
And they are not just putting themselves at risk. As passengers, 42 per cent of Bristolians admitted they had feared their driver was too shattered to be on the road - a figure well above the national average.
This month is set to be a peak time for young Bristolian revellers to be driving home exhausted after staying up all night at the Reading Festival, the Big Chill or one of the many other events drawing music fans from across the country.
And to encourage motorists to take a break, Lucozade Energy recently provided drivers with the opportunity to refresh themselves at one of the UK's busiest motorway service stations - the Welcome Break services near Oxford on the M40 - in an innovative new "Energiser pod". These futuristic looking capsule hotel-style beds offer motorists a 20-minute break and energy booster before continuing with their journey.
Indeed, as the holiday season gets well underway, it's not just the young partygoers who are at risk.
The research also reveals that when it comes to potentially causing danger on the road through tiredness, the over 55's are far riskier rather than the sterotypical "boy racer". Nearly one in five (18 per cent) over 55's admit to having fallen asleep while driving in the past - compared with only 4 per cent of 17-24 year-olds - while more older drivers admit to having nodded off on several occasions than any other age group. Indeed, one in seven (14 per cent) over 55s has resorted to pulling over on the hard shoulder to sleep.
Motoring expert Quentin Willson has lent his support to the campaign. "This is an especially busy time of year on Britain's roads when many drivers will be travelling longer distances than they may be used to," he said.
"As Lucozade Energy's research illustrates, it is vitally important that all motorists heed the Government's recommendations to take regular breaks to refresh and revive themselves." Lucy Colman, brand manager at Lucozade Energy, said: "We have found that many drivers are not aware of the Government's guidelines on driving long distances and even actively plan to drive up to eight hours without stopping. Through our Energiser pods we hope to remind drivers how important it is to take regular breaks to combat tiredness.
"The pods are designed to allow motorists to take a break on their journey to re-energise and return to the road with higher levels of concentration."