Transport User Voice July 2025 – Are we nearly there yet?

14 July 2025

Long distance driving research published 

Are we nearly there yet? The common heard phrase on a long road journey. But when tiredness kicks in do you think about stopping at a motorway service to break up your journey?  

With the summer holidays in full swing, we wanted to better understand the reluctance among drivers to stop during long journeys. Tiredness can kill, and fatigue sets in over long motorway journeys which can significantly affect the drivers’ ability to be vigilant and react to hazards.  

It is vital that drivers feel rested when they are behind the wheel, so Transport Focus published a report back in June that looks at how we can persuade drivers to take a break at motorway services.  

As many as one in 15 collisions on England’s major roads during July and August 2024 involved driver fatigue. So, what’s stopping drivers from taking a break? 

A range of factors are discouraging drivers from using motorway services such as the feeling that services can be time-consuming to navigate, wanting to maximise time at their intended destination and the belief that they simply do not need a break. Unexpected disruptions to a journey such as congestion may also cause drivers to push through continue their journey rather than spending more time stationary.  

However, most of the drivers we spoke to were open to stopping under the right conditions and small changes can help shift the perceptions of the more reluctant stoppers. For example, refined roadside signage would help make drivers aware of opportunities to recharge when travelling in unfamiliar locations. More publicity from motorway service operators to inform drivers that they are a place to rest without having to spend money could also help with this. 

In our last Motorway Services User Survey, more than 90 per cent of services scored 90 per cent or more for overall visitor satisfaction. Many of us are happy with what we find when we pull off the motorway for a break, and our research also shows many will leave happier, and more relaxed. 

There is still work to do, but we hope that our report sparks a conversation across the industry to encourage drivers to take breaks and in doing so create a safer motorway network. 

So next time you go on a long journey, help keep everyone safe and remember to rest and recharge before getting back on the road. 

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