Asleep at the wheel
Addressing tiredness related road crashes
Tired driving is a growing road safety risk. This report examines member experiences, the human cost of fatigue-related crashes and measures to help prevent them.
1 April 2026
Key findings
1
21% fell asleep driving
More than one in five surveyed members had fallen asleep or closed their eyes while driving.
2
47% drove while tired
Almost half of surveyed members said they had driven while tired in the past 12 months.
3
75 fatigue-related deaths
In 2025, 75 people died in fatigue-related crashes, accounting for 21% of road deaths.
Why this matters
Driving while tired slows reaction times, impairs judgement and increases the risk of a serious crash. Fatigue can affect short, everyday trips as well as long-distance journeys, with young drivers, new parents, shift workers, commercial drivers and people with sleep disorders among the higher-risk groups.
