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This could see motorists slapped with an unlimited fine and even a two-year driving ban in extreme cases.<\/p>\n
Simon Naylor, Director of Wessex Fleet has also warned the consequences could be dire.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s worrying to see that over 40 percent of drivers admitted to driving over the recommended time without taking a break.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know driving and concentrating over a long distance can cause reaction times to slow if a driver is tired. A fatigued driver could also be prone to causing an accident and could be fined for \u2018dangerous driving\u2019, which is an unlimited fine and can lead to disqualification or imprisonment at worst.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen covering long-distance drives make sure to take plenty of rest stops, each lasting for a good amount of time, and also switch drivers if you can to avoid being tired behind the wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n
DON’T MISS <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n The Highway Code says drivers should avoid undertaking long journeys between midnight and 6am when \u201cnatural alertness is at a minimum\u201d.<\/p>\n They state drivers should take a minimum break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving.<\/p>\n A staggering 22 percent of those surveyed said they didn’t take an adequate break when stopping meaning they were not fully recovered when setting off.<\/p>\n This would mean around 7.6m motorists may not be reaching the recommended amount of rest.<\/p>\n Three percent of those polled even admitted they never normally took breaks during long journeys.<\/p>\n The poll found that residents in Liverpool were the worst offenders with more than one in ten (11 percent) not taking breaks when travelling.<\/p>\n This was higher than both Edinburgh and Nottingham whose drivers were tied on seven percent.<\/p>\n However, motorists in the North East of England were the best in the nation for knowing when to stop with 61 percent always resting at the two-hour mark.<\/p>\n
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