Addressing the road safety problem of fatigue

Media advisory: Working with road safety partners to address the problem of fatigue

Media are advised that Neesha Gouldsbury (ACC) and Senior Sergeant Peter Baird (Police) will be giving a presentation at the Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand Conference on the topic of “Working with road safety partners to address the problem of Fatigue”.

11:00 am, Wednesday 31 October
Napier War Memorial Conference Centre
Napier

In 2005 fatigue was contributing factor in 39 fatal traffic crashes, resulting in 47 deaths. Coupled with the level of crash injuries, this had a total social cost of about $280 million.

This presentation covers a project resulting from combining the resources of Police and the ACC in gathering current data, then formally notifying the Company Manager/Director of an employee’s driving offence while using a company vehicle. This was then linked to the employer’s responsibility under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act 2002 "duty of care" of employers at work including vehicles.

The process involves filtering for repeat offenders and an Injury Prevention Consultant visiting risk industries to assist them with driver fatigue programs.
The pilot was in the Central District where there are a high proportion of crashes through its dissecting State Highway system. It has less urban areas that modify driver behaviour, or give the opportunity to rest, and is the gateway that links many major cities.

The desired outcomes have included:

• identification and reduction in driver fatigue amongst commercial drivers

• improved awareness of fatigue as a crash factor

• encouraging owners, operators, executives to ensure meetings and timetables have significant travel components and appropriate rest periods.

The conference is on from Monday 29 October - Wednesday 31 October at the Napier War Memorial Conference Centre.

More information about the Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand (IPNANZ) Conference, including a programme, can be found on the conference page of the IPNANZ website: http://www.ipnanz.org.nz/page.php?p=62.

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