Female motorists who drive for work purposes could soon find themselves the target of a new government campaign.

Following a YouGov poll that highlighted only 18 per cent of motorists would stop for a break when they begin to yawn, the state has announced a new drive to raise awareness of the perils of driving when tired.

Together with actor Joseph Fiennes, the government has produced a radio commercial and a number of advertisements for journey planning websites to highlight the potential risks of getting behind the wheel when sleepy.

"We all want to finish our journeys as quickly as possible but being tired at the wheel is a proven killer that we cannot ignore," commented road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

He added that people who drive for work purposes are particularly in danger.

"This is a really serious matter," added Steph Savill, founder of FOXY Lady Drivers Club. "Not only are most women less likely to take risks at the wheel but many men are more likely to see a yawn as a sign of weakness, not a warning.

"The statistics speak for themselves of course and I'm pleased to see that this campaign appears to target men specifically because each gender responds to different peer pressure and marketing messages."

Earlier findings from road safety charity Brake have shown that ten per cent of work drivers admit to having dozed off at the wheel in the past year.

Find out how female motorists run safer cars and can contact a sympathetic support service when motoring gets stressful.

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