Advances in driving technology could help combat loneliness in later life, says a new report.
The study by the International Longevity Centre UK, supported by LV= General Insurance, argues that advances in automated driving, electric vehicles and ride-sharing could enable older people to maintain their social connections for longer.
Since the widespread adoption of private cars in the second half of the twentieth century, driving has become an integral part of how people commute, travel and live their lives.
Almost a quarter of drivers have found themselves nodding off to sleep while driving at night, says a report.
Fatigue was the cause of 62 fatal road accidents and more than 1,500 RTAs on UK roads in 2018, according to the most recent Department for Transport records.
But while the official figure is 2 per cent, it is estimated by the DVLA that 20 per cent of accidents on motorways and monotonous road types may be caused by the driver nodding off at the wheel.
And new research from Volkswagen has revealed the alarming number of motorists who have had issues on the road while tired and driving at night.
More than one fifth (22 per cent) of drivers said they had found themselves nodding off to sleep on the road – with 3.7 per cent admitting they had fallen asleep at the wheel.
A quarter said they lost their concentration in the dark, causing them to veer out of the lane they were in.
And eight per cent said they often feel uncomfortable driving at night because they’re worried they might fall asleep.