A new blood test to detect driver sleep deprivation is in the works

12 June 2023

A team at the Monash University in Australia are working to create a new blood test which can detect whether a person is too sleep-deprived to drive.

The researchers believe that the successful development of such a test could allow for new laws to be put into place about the minimum amount of rest required before a person is fit to drive.

Although the Department for Transport has expressed that it is ‘not considering this type of testing’, the new test could be available within five years and blood tests are already used by police to measure driver alcohol and drug levels on the roadside.

According to a recent study published in the Nature and Science of Sleep Journal, having less than five hours’ sleep in the previous 24 hours before driving could double the risk of an accident.

Associate professor at Monash University, Clare Anderson, is leading the research and claims to have identified five substances in the blood – including lipids produced in the gut - that can identify if a person has been awake for a full 24 hours.

The test is currently 90 per cent accurate in real life situations and the team is working towards refining the test to be able to determine specifically how many hours a person has slept within the previous 24 hours.

Road Safety GB driver fatigue expert Professor Ashleigh Filtness said, “There is already legislation stating that all drivers must be fit to drive their vehicles. Alertness is no different to any other requirement for safe driving.

“Having a roadside test for fatigue would be a useful tool for enforcement. However, such a test would not preclude individual driver responsibility. Tiredness does not come on instantly, it’s a gradual build-up. It is essential to get enough sleep before driving and to be aware of peaks in tiredness — typically between 2pm to 4pm and 2am to 6am.”

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