Fatigue message shouldn't be a yawn for WA drivers
22/01/2010
SGIO is urging WA drivers heading away this Australia Day weekend to wake up to fatigue warnings after research revealed two out of three sometimes drive tired*.
The SGIO survey of 500 WA drivers found men were most likely to risk fatigue with 70 per cent confessing to driving while tired.
In addition, two thirds of men confessed to having driven for longer than two hours without a break during the past 12 months.
The research also found many female drivers ignore tips to ward off fatigue with 65 per cent hitting the road while tired and more than half having driven for longer than two hours.
SGIO spokesperson Rob Cory said it was important all drivers were both awake and alert before getting in the car, particularly on long trips.
“A lot of us are probably keen to reach our destinations, especially if we’re heading away for long weekends,” he said.
“Unfortunately, fatigue could be responsible for up to thirty per cent of deaths on WA roads**.
“Too many of us appear to be driving while tired or avoiding breaks every two hours – and that means too many of us are taking big risks on the road.
“It’s important to allow plenty of time for the trip, and if you’re restless or yawning, don’t take a chance - just pull over for a break.”
Mr Cory said those driving between 10pm and dawn, when we normally sleep, were more likely to be involved in a fatigue-related collision.
“Driver fatigue isn’t just influenced by how long someone’s been at the wheel, but also by the time of day or night and how rested a driver is before they start out,” he said.
To reduce the risk of driver fatigue:
- make sure you are well rested before starting your trip;
- take a break from driving at least every two hours;
- don’t drive when you would normally be asleep;
- include an overnight stop on long trips; and
- where possible, plan to share the driving.
* Based on research carried out by Pure Profile for SGIO
** www.ors.wa.gov.au