Poor sleep may be one of the biggest overlooked threats to road safety, according to new research from Discovery Insure.
The study analysed four years of sleep and driving data from more than 10,000 Discovery Insure drivers, making it one of the largest studies of its kind conducted in South Africa.
The findings show that missing sleep over several consecutive nights, known as sleep debt, is one of the strongest predictors of motor vehicle accident risk.
Discovery Insure CEO Robert Attwell said poor sleep directly affects concentration, reaction time and decision-making, all of which influence driving behaviour.
He said the research suggests poor sleep is up to five times more predictive of accident risk than traditional insurance risk factors when considered in isolation.
