Driver Jailed After Fatal Crash Caused by Fatigue
Published on 09/01/2026 at 21:17 | Editorial boerse-global.de
A taxi driver who fell asleep at the wheel and killed a man after working more than 50 hours in three days has been jailed for six years, in a case that underscores the dangers of workplace fatigue in the transport sector. The sentencing comes as industry bodies launch a national campaign to tackle driver health and wellbeing.
Fatal Collision on the A23
Kolawole Erunkulu, 45, from Bexleyheath, was sentenced on August 25, 2026, following the crash on the A23 in Merstham in August 2025. The court heard that Erunkulu had worked approximately 53 hours over the three days before the incident, with his longest rest period lasting just seven hours.
He fell into a microsleep and collided with 59-year-old Philip Dray, who was stationary in a layby. Alongside the prison sentence, Erunkulu received an eight-year driving ban.
Fatigue-related incidents have prompted legal action elsewhere. In Texas, a lawsuit was filed against FedEx and one of its drivers after a rear-end collision on Highway 249 in November 2025, in which the driver reportedly admitted to falling asleep at the wheel and causing severe injuries to another motorist. More recently, on August 29, 2026, a teenage driver lost consciousness and struck another vehicle in Columbia, Missouri.
Driver Health Week Puts Spotlight on Industry Pressures
The sentencing coincides with the launch of Driver Health Week 2026, running from September 1 to September 6. Supported by National Highways, Logistics UK and the Road Haulage Association (RHA), the campaign focuses on the physical and mental demands of professional driving. A designated Driver Health Day takes place on September 4 at Loughborough University.
This case is a stark reminder that workplace fatigue is a serious safety risk in any industry, not just transport. A free Health & Safety Toolkit provides ready-to-use risk assessments and checklists that help UK employers meet their legal duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH and other regulations. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit
Research for the 2024 Trucking Lives Report highlights the scale of the challenge. Around 54 percent of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers reported negative impacts on their physical health, while 32 percent cited effects on their mental health. A third of drivers also believed the public does not view their work as a professional occupation.
Data from the SHIFT program reinforces these concerns, finding that 88 percent of surveyed drivers were classified as overweight or obese, and 67 percent had high cholesterol. The figures carry particular weight given the industry's reach — road transport accounts for 80 percent of freight, with professional drivers covering roughly 300 million miles each week.
Enforcement Checks Reveal Compliance Gaps
Regulatory bodies continue to monitor driver safety through large-scale enforcement operations. During the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck, held from May 12 to May 14, 2026, inspectors carried out more than 54,000 driver inspections.
With enforcement checks increasingly scrutinising compliance, employers need to document their safety measures properly. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit offers 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists covering fire safety, manual handling, first aid and lone working — everything you need to demonstrate your safety obligations are met. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
While 94 percent of drivers were free of out-of-service violations, several hundred were taken off the road for safety reasons. Hours-of-service breaches were the second most common cause of driver out-of-service orders in the United States, with 883 cases recorded. Only medical certificate issues were more frequent, accounting for 1,072 violations. Other infractions included lack of proper commercial driver licences and English language proficiency issues.
