Poor and inconsistent sleep may be one of the biggest hidden threats to road safety. New research from Discovery Insure suggests that sleep debt is a stronger predictor of crash risk than many traditional insurance factors when these are considered separately.
The insurer analysed four years of sleep, driving and accident data from more than 10,000 South African drivers. It presented the findings at a media briefing in Johannesburg.
The study found that chronic sleep deprivation can build up over several nights. This accumulated sleep debt can significantly increase a driver’s risk of an accident.