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Road Wise: Micro-sleeps | Shannonside.ie

By Daniela Rana · Shannonside · 26 September 2026

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According to the RSA, driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as one in five fatal crashes in Ireland every year.’Micro sleeps’ can occur when tired...

According to the RSA, driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as one in five fatal crashes in Ireland every year. 'Micro sleeps' can occur when tired or fighting sleep, and can be experienced even when your eyes are open.

During a 'micro sleep' of just four seconds, a vehicle can travel 100 metres - more than the length of a football pitch - without the driver's control. In this feature, David Martin from the Road Safety Authority explains what you should do when feeling tired behind the wheel.

This road safety programme is made with the support of the IBI and the Sound and Vision scheme, a Coimisiún na Meán initiative funded by the television licence fee.

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Reporting by Daniela Rana for Shannonside, funded by the News Reporting Scheme. Republished by News Room under the scheme’s reuse permission.

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