Driver fatigue

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the early warning signs of fatigue.
• You can explain what a microsleep is and why it is so dangerous.
• You can name the times of day when fatigue risk is highest.
• You can plan a long drive with rest breaks and shared driving.

What you need to know and understand

• Being awake for about 17 hours affects your driving about as much as a BAC of 0.05, which is well over the zero limit for L and P drivers.
• A microsleep is a short, unintended sleep that can last a few seconds. In 4 seconds at 100 km/h you travel more than 110 metres.
• Risk is highest when you would normally be asleep. Victoria's handbook names 10pm to 6am, and WA's says midnight to 6am is especially dangerous.
• Coffee, loud music and open windows do not fix fatigue. Only sleep does.
• A short nap helps: NSW suggests about 20 minutes, Victoria about 15 minutes.
• Victoria's handbook warns against driving more than 2 hours without a break.

Spot it early

Fatigue creeps up slowly. Stop and rest as soon as you notice any of these signs, not when you start nodding off.

• Yawning again and again.
• Sore or heavy eyes, or blurry vision.
• Drifting in your lane or making bigger steering corrections.
• Missing road signs or not remembering the last few kilometres.
• Your speed creeping up or down without meaning to.
• Feeling restless, bored or irritable.
• Head nodding or eyes closing for more than a moment, which are signs of microsleep.

Before and during a long drive

1. Get a full night's sleep before you go. Teenagers need even more sleep than adults.
2. Do not start a long trip after a big day at work, school or a late night.
3. Wait a little after waking up before driving, because you can still be groggy.
4. Plan breaks at rest areas, towns or Driver Reviver sites, even if you feel fine.
5. Share the driving with another licensed driver if you can (remember a learner always needs a supervisor).
6. Drink water and avoid heavy, fatty meals and alcohol.
7. If you feel tired, pull over somewhere safe and have a short nap.

Why young drivers are at higher risk

Many young drivers sleep less than they need because of study, sport, social life and shift work. A sleep debt does not go away with coffee; it only goes away with sleep. Shift workers face a much higher risk of fatigue crashes, so if you work late, think hard about how you get home.

Being tired also affects judgement, so you may not realise how impaired you are. If in doubt, do not drive.

Common mistakes

• Relying on coffee or energy drinks. They delay sleepiness, which can then hit suddenly.
• Driving straight after a night shift or a late party. Sleep first or get a lift.
• Ignoring yawning and sore eyes until you start drifting. Stop at the first signs.
• Planning a long trip with no breaks to arrive sooner. Build in stops every couple of hours.

Test yourself: Driver fatigue

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.