To help drivers stay alert behind the wheel, the The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and Applegreen Service Stations have teamed up and will be providing free cups of coffee to drivers between 2pm and 8pm today Friday 28 October and also on Monday 31 October.
In order to avail of a free coffee simply say ‘RSA’ or ‘Driver Reviver’ to the till operator. Their aim is to help drivers to combat the effects of driver fatigue over the October Bank Holiday Weekend.
Joe Barrett, Chief Operating Officer, Applegreen said: “We are delighted to partner with the Road Safety Authority on this important initiative to help drivers combat the effects of driver fatigue. Since this partnership started, Applegreen has provided thousands of free cups of coffee to drivers throughout the country, helping to reduce the incidences of driver fatigue on our roads. Road safety is very important to us, so we are proud to be involved in any intervention that contributes to safer drivers and safer roads.”
To combat the effects of driver fatigue, the RSA advises drivers to:
* Stop, park in a safe place and take a nap for 15 minutes (set your mobile phone alarm). This is the most important tactic.
* To really make the most of the break, take a caffeine drink before the nap (150mg of caffeine e.g. 2 cups of coffee). After the nap, the caffeine should have started to take effect.
* Then get some fresh air and stretch your legs for a few minutes.
* By following all of the above advice you should be able to drive for another hour or so.
In relation to driving during the long weekend a RSA Spokesperson said: "Bank holiday weekends are a high-risk period for all road-users, especially drivers, as there are more people on the roads travelling longer distances. So there is an even greater need for attention behind the wheel and a sense of shared responsibility when using the roads. Research suggests that driver fatigue is as dangerous as drink-driving and could be a factor in up to 20% of driver deaths every year. It’s critical to recognise the symptoms and to take action before it’s too late. Pull in, sip a coffee or caffeinated drink, and take a 15 minute nap. After that, you should be ok to drive for another hour or so. We would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Halloween and bank holiday weekend."
This is the 4th year of this partnership, which has seen thousands of cups of coffee handed out to tired drivers over bank holiday weekends.
For a list of participating Applegreen Service Stations, click http://applegreenstores.com/ie/locations.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Donna Ahern
