Tiredness as dangerous to drivers as drinking: Report

London, Nov 16 (UNI) After ''Don't Drink and Drive'' comes a new word of caution for the drivers-- ''Don't drive tired''.

It is better to pull over, lock the doors and have a nap if one feels tired as a recent research has showed that driving when tired can be almost as dangerous as driving when drunk.

A sleep-deprived driver performed nearly as poorly as a driver well over the legal alcohol limit in tests carried out, Daily Mail reported.

One driver was not allowed to sleep all night while the other consumed 12 units of alcohol over the course of a night - four times the recommended level.

The tests showed that, when 25 per cent over the legal limit, the drunk driver's ability to hold a steady distance from a car in front dropped by 25 per cent.

The sleep-deprived driver was 39 per cent less able to maintain a steady distance.

The drunk driver's ability, however, continued to deteriorate and when he was at twice the legal limit he was 49 per cent worse at maintaining a steady distance.

UNI