Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Research

Awareness of driving while sleepy and road traffic accidents: prospective study in GAZEL cohort

BMJ 2006; 333 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38863.638194.AE (Published 06 July 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;333:75

Rapid Response:

Being aware doesn't help

With interest did I read the study published by Hermann Nabi, Alice
Guéguen et al. I am not surprised at their findings that drivers are well
aware of their sleepiness, still drive and subsequenly are more likely to
be involved in serious RTAs.

I would be interested to see the results of a similar study conducted
amongst junior doctors subjected to shift work under the European Working
Time Directive (EWTD), their awareness of being sleepy while driving home
after a late shift or a night on call and subsequent involvement in road
traffic accidents (RTAs).

The authors' suggestion to prevent accidents by convincing drivers to
sleep before resuming their journey will certainly once again call for a
debate regarding the provision of on call rooms for doctors, at least for
a rest after their shift.

Competing interests:
I am a junior doctor and driver

Competing interests: No competing interests

11 July 2006
Bettina Lieske
SpR General Surgery
Oxford