The key message for all drivers travelling over the Christmas break and school holidays is you don’t have to be severely fatigued to impair your driving ability, you can simply just be tired.
Tired from a long day, tired after a big night, tired from concentrating on the road while the kids yell in the back seat.
The risk is even greater when you are driving at times when you would normally be asleep, as well as in the early to mid-afternoon.
The message we’re putting out is simple: don’t trust your tired self. Get a good sleep before you set off, take regular breaks and if possible share the driving.
Motorists can take a fast, fun, interactive test to see how fit they are to drive, and get some tips and strategies to help avoid driving tired. It’s the two minutes online that could save your life. Simply head to www.testyourtiredself.com.au.
The test provides a tailored assessment based on a series of questions, memory challenges and reaction responses and offers tips on how to avoid driving tired.
Fatigue crashes are twice as likely to be fatal than other crashes because an asleep driver doesn’t brake.
Fatigue is one of the top three killers on NSW roads, along with speeding and drink driving. In fact 17 hours without sleep has the same effect on driving ability as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05.
Plan where to stop, revive and survive, information on Australia wide rest areas can be found on www.driverreviver.com.au
