Driving sleepy as dangerous as driving drunk, traffic assoc. says

Driving while tired is just as dangerous as driving when you've had too much to drink, safe traffic association VVN warns as the summer holidays are about to start in the Netherlands, RTL Nieuws reports.

Many Dutch are going away on holiday. But driving long distances can make you tired, which results in slower response rates and finding it more difficult to keep on course, according to the VVN. Sleepy drivers also make less use of their car's mirrors, which means they are less aware of the road around them. This increases the chance of traffic accidents.

Accidents caused by fatigue are not just a matter of driving for too long. "Bad or too short sleep, stress, or the time of day can also cause fatigue", according to VVN.

The only way to counteract fatigue is to "pull the car over for a short nap break", VVN director Alphons Knuppel said, according to the broadcaster.