WITH holidaymakers starting to make their way home after the Christmas break, scientists from Neuroscience Research Australia are urging drivers to be aware of fatigue before driving.
This comes after Queensland Police initiated their Christmas road safety campaign on December 23 with extra police stationed across Queensland targeting the fatal five road offences –speeding, drink and drug driving, fatigue, distracted driving and failing to wear a seatbelt.
The NeuRA researchers said driving while fatigued had reached alarming levels in Australia with 20 per cent of drivers admitting they had fallen asleep behind the wheel at least once.
They said fatigue related crashes could happen at any time of day, not just late at night.
Professor Danny Eckert, head of the NeuRA Sleep and Breathing Lab, said caffeine could not replace a good night’s sleep and people awake for 19 continuous hours had a level of fatigue equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05. After 24 hours without sleep this level was equivalent to twice the legal limit.
He said other situations including shift work, having a restless sleep, a new baby in the house or a late night out with friends could lead to fatigue and put you and others at risk if you decided to drive.
“While you’re awake throughout the day chemicals such as adenosine build up in the brain which make you feel sleepy - this isn’t something you can fight,” Professor Eckert said.
“Driving fatigued is just as dangerous as driving under the influence and fatigue combined with a legal amount of alcohol is even more likely to result in a crash.”
Professor Eckert said it was imperative to be aware of signs of fatigue.
“Rolling down the windows, turning the radio up and struggling to keep your eyes open while driving are all signs of drowsiness, which can lead to falling asleep behind the wheel or having impaired judgement on the road,” he said.
“Fatigue is one of the big three killers on Australian roads. It is estimated that 20 to 30 per cent of all fatal crashes are due to fatigue.”
He said transport industry leader Transurban was partnering with NeuRA to strive for fatality and injury free roads by funding the Transurban Road Safety Centre.
Transurban executive Tony Adams said the holiday season was a time when many families were travelling longer distances after a busy year and on roads they were less familiar with.
“We know many drivers may not be good at judging how tired they are when they get behind the wheel, which is a good reason to remind people to be well rested before travelling,” said Mr. Adams.
“To avoid fatigue on long journeys the message is simple and is one we all know well.
“When you are feeling tired, stop and take a break.”
Professor Eckert said good sleep started with good sleep habits, which included:
- Establishing a regular sleep routine and bed time
- Avoiding your smart phone one hour before bed to avoid blue light stimulation
- Bringing the lights down
- Avoiding caffeinated drinks after 2pm. “