Fatigue? Don't drive tired

Fatigue is often ranked as a major factor in causing road crashes although its contribution to individual cases is hard to measure and is often not reported as a cause of crash. Driver fatigue is particularly dangerous because one of the symptoms is decreased ability to judge our own level of tiredness.

Fatigue is more likely to be a factor in crashes in rural areas as they can involve long trips and extensive periods of continuous driving, however anyone can be affected by fatigue.

If you don't get enough sleep you go in to sleep debt and you owe yourself more sleep. The only way to repay this debt is by sleeping. Until you catch up on your sleep, you will have a greater risk of having a fatigue related crash.

The facts!

Your eyelids droop and your head starts to nod. Yawning becomes almost constant and your vision seems blurry. You blink hard, focus your eyes and suddenly realize that you’ve veered onto the shoulder or into oncoming traffic for a moment and quickly straighten the wheel. This time you were lucky; next time you could become the latest victim of the tragedy of drowsy driving.

• Research suggests that almost 20% of accidents on major roads are sleep-related
• Sleep-related accidents are more likely than others to result in a fatality or serious injury
• Peak times for accidents are in the early hours and after lunch
• About 40% of sleep-related accidents involve commercial vehicles
• Men under 30 have the highest risk of falling asleep at the wheel

 How do I know if Im fatigued?

Signs of fatigue include:

1. constant yawning
2. drifting over lanes
3. sore eyes
4. trouble keeping your head upright
5. delayed reactions
6. daydreaming
7. difficulty remembering driving the last few kilometres
8. variations in driving speed.

Most importantly if you feel tired, pull over and have a powernap, otherwise you may experience microsleeps which are dangerous while driving. Once you are fatigued the only cure is to stop and take a break.

THINK! Advice

• Plan your journey to include a 15-minute break every two hours. 

• Don't start a long trip if you're already tired. 

• Remember the risks if you have to get up unusually early to start a long drive. 

• Try to avoid long trips between midnight and 6am when you're likely to feel sleepy anyway. 

• If you start to feel sleepy, find a safe place to stop - not the hardshoulder of a motorway. Drink two cups of coffee or a high-caffeine drink and have a rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow time for the caffeine to kick in. 

• Remember, the only real cure for sleepiness is proper sleep. A caffeine drink or a nap is a short-term solution that will only allow you to keep driving for a short time.

Will You Pledge Not To Drive While Fatigued This November?

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