A new road safety campaign is being launched today targeting the problem of sleepy drivers.
New figures released by the Road Safety Association show that up to one in five motorist deaths a year could be caused by tiredness.
Driver fatigue is known as the silent killer on the roads - it's harder to detect and not taken as seriously as speeding or drink driving.
However, tiredness-related collisions are three times more likely to be fatal or result in serious injury.
That's because of the high impact speed, and the fact that there's nobody there to take evasive action.
The Road Safety authority is launching a new TV ad campaign today urging sleepy drivers to pull over and have a tea or coffee and a 15-minute nap before continuing.
It comes ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend, traditionally a busy time on the roads with people driving longer distances than normal.
Applegreen will be offering free cups of coffee to motorists on Friday and Monday afternoon, and gardai will be out in force all weekend.
ONe in ten motorists have admitted falling asleep at the wheel.
Fran Mitchell, from Greystones in County Wicklow, died in a car crash just minutes from his home in July 2005. His brother Charlie Mitchell says Fran was stone cold sober - just tired after working a late shift:
