Road safety

avoiding driving while tired

Nobody is immune to tiredness, which can be deadly when combined with driving. Driving while tired is a major factor in more than a quarter of fatal crashes on Victorian roads. Tiredness is not only a problem for long-distance driving but also for everyday driving.

Signs of tiredness to watch for when driving include:

• Yawning
• Sore or heavy eyes
• Difficulty remembering the last few kilometres
• Drifting in the lane
• Variations in driving speed
• Daydreaming or zoning out, not being able to concentrate on driving
• Slower reaction times

Being tired also impairs your ability to recognise the danger signs.

everyday driving

Feeling tired can occur any time of the day, with the two main causes of tiredness being:

• Lack of sleep
• Driving when you would normally be asleep

If you do not get enough sleep, you accumulate sleep debt. The only way to repay this debt is to sleep.

Some people are more likely to be sleep deprived then others and are more at risk of having a tiredness related crash.

This includes:

• 18 to 25 year olds - work, study, spontaneous and late night lifestyles put them at risk because they do not get enough sleep
• Shift workers - often have disrupted sleep patterns leading to tiredness, with night-shift workers more at risk
• People with sleep disorders - conditions such as sleep apnoea can impair your driving ability.

long distance driving

To avoid feeling tired on a long trip:

• Make sure you regularly get enough sleep
• Never drive when you would normally be asleep
• Do not start a long trip after a long day's work
• Plan your trip so you can take regular breaks and share the driving
• Seek medical advice if you often feel sleepy
• Be aware of the effects of any medication taken

If you feel tired when driving, take a Powernap (sleep for 15 to 30 minutes), but allow time to recover from your sleep before commencing to drive.

Before you travel, use the Too tired to drive checklist to make sure you are not too tired to drive.

The only cure for tiredness is sleep!

• Find out about Victoria's rest area locations.