Drivers need to wake up to driver fatigue

“Almost two thirds of fatigue related crashes involve young drivers and it’s important that we educate them about the risk and the warning signs” says Road Safety Education NZ Programme Manager, Maria Lovelock

New Zealand Transport Authority report that driver fatigue is responsible for 12% of crashes on our roads. Driver judgement and decision making cannot be relied upon when a driver is fatigued as both are severely impacted in this situation, putting them in fatal danger of falling asleep at the wheel (6)

Young people, shift workers and people with sleep disorders are most likely to suffer from driver fatigue. As a general rule of thumb people feel most sleepy between 3-5am and 3-5pm (6) but for some people the motions of a car itself induces sleep whatever the time. “Lets not forget, parents often drive their babies to make them sleep. Age does not change that for many” says Lovelock

RYDA, Road Safety Education Limited's flagship programme, is an essential learning experience for senior high school students that aims to change the way young people think and act on the road - not only as drivers but also passengers.

“Young people have more challenges than other drivers – driving whilst sleepy is but one. Their brains are still developing, they exhibit sensation-seeking behaviour, they are greatly influenced by peer pressure and they often drive less road-worthy cars. They also don’t have the experience that older drivers have. It's up to us as a community to bridge that gap of inexperience and underdevelopment with as many tools as we can for better planning and decision making. That's what the RYDA programme is all about.” Says Lovelock.

To date 36,000 students have graduated from the RYDA programme across New Zealand since its introduction in 2007.

The road toll has increased for the last two consecutive years. Last year the 15 to 24 year old demographic accounted for 24% of the 321 road fatalities yet they only represent 15% of the population overall. Similarly young people dying on our roads is almost double the rate of the whole population. (2)

On average, each week, a family suffers a tragedy of losing a young family member and every day a life changing - and often a life long injury.

In 2014 the Ministry of Transport identified that the social cost of every road fatality was $4.54 million dollars and every crash causing serious injury $473,500.

Evidence suggests that young people are most at risk of being involved in a serious crash in the first six months after transitioning from being a supervised learner to an independent provisional driver.

“The real danger with driver fatigue is that the crash is often fatal. You keep driving at speed towards another vehicle resulting in a head on collision or leave the road and hit something else.The loss of a single young life is one too many and the impact these crashes have on friends, families and communities is a national tragedy" says Terry Birss CEO of Road Safety Education.

But there is hope, over the past decade, the road toll in the 15 to 24 year old demographic has dropped nationwide by 52%. "This is due to many factors including the graduated licensing scheme, safer cars, better roads and, importantly the key role of education" says Maria Lovelock RSE NZ Programme Manager.
To date 36,000 students have graduated from the RYDA programme across New Zealand since its introduction in 2007. This programme talks to our young drivers right at the age they are getting their learner and restricted licences. The full day best practice programme is the only one of its type in New Zealand and helps young drivers develop their personal road safety strategy.

Students are asked to make a minimal contribution to these programmes which are largely funded by NZ Steel, BOC, Bosch and the Alexander group assisted by community partner Rotary.

NZTA TIPS TO HANDLE DRIVER FATIGUE

Don't
Drive at times you would normally sleep
Drive for several days following long distance air travel
Drink at all. Alcohol induces fatigue.
Take medication that causes drowsiness

Do
Take a friend with you on long trips who can share the driving
Listen to music, drink coffee and get plenty of fresh air. These are short term solutions only however.
Take breaks every two hours
Recognise the warning signs of driver fatigue
Take the test if you are unsure
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/fatigue/fatigue-resources/fatigue-calculator/
WARNING SIGNS OF DRIVER FATIGUE
Restlessness
Blinking often
Centre line drift
Excessive speed changes
Restlessness
Drowsiness
Braking too late
Forgetting the last two digits in your kilometre reading (7)

Reference
(1) http://www.transport.govt.nz/research/roadtoll/christmasnewyearholidayperiod/

(2) https://www.nzta.govt.nz/ resources/road-deaths

(3) www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article/ 11576275

(4) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11591372

(5) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/road-accidents/news/article.cfm?c_id=663&objectid=11589738

(6) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11593778

(7) https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/fatigue/fatigue-resources
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