Sleeping trucker menace
One in 10 truck drivers admits to falling asleep on the road «at least occasionally,» according to a survey made public yesterday. Of the 150 truck drivers interviewed by Crete Technical College (TEI) researchers, only half (52 percent) acknowledged that it was dangerous to drive when tired. And even those overestimated their capacity to function when weary. According to traffic police figures also made public yesterday, trucks are involved in almost a third of all road accidents. Most drivers questioned (66 percent) used coffee to stave off fatigue, while 51 percent would make a pit-stop. Preventative measures, equally, are used by relatively few drivers with 65 percent pursuing a healthy lifestyle and 42 percent having a good night’s sleep the night before a trip. Overall, drivers believe the State should step up checks on businesses employing drivers to ensure work hours are not being exceeded.
