According to recent research, driving in state of fatigue has contributed to more road accidents in Great Britain than those impaired by taking drugs. The study found 20% of road accidents on major roads are fatigue related compared to 18% involving impairment by drug taking. Commercial vehicles accounted for 40% of those accidents, highlighting the fact employees could be lacking sleep or working excessive hours. Figures for 2015 provided by Department for Transport show 435 people were seriously injured on the roads by a contributory factor of fatigue compared to 350 drug related incidents and 2,279 people had minor injuries against 997 casualties by drug impaired driving. As of March 2015, anyone caught driving above a specified level of an illegal drug in their blood stream face a minimum 12-month driving ban, up to six months in prison, an unlimited fine and a criminal record. Drivers' hours are already enforced via the tachograph and compliance management software such as Smartanalysis, for heavy goods vehicles and busses and coaches with harsh penalties for breaking the rules. But with one in five crashes on our roads being fatigue related is it time to give sleep deprivation tougher punishments along similar lines to drugs and alcohol for all drivers? Source: Commercial Fleet