Almost 1-in-4 Aussie drivers admit to falling asleep behind the wheel

The nationwide Index survey of more than 2,000 Australians also found that nearly 40 per cent (39%) of drivers are not taking a break at least every two hours when driving longer distances of three hours or more as Australians prepare to hit the road for the winter break.

The majority of drivers (61%) were taking a break every two hours on journeys of three hours or more, in line with driver safety recommendations. However, 27 per cent were only stopping every 3-4 hours and 4 per cent were not stopping at all.

The NRMA has released this research as many Australians prepare for a mid-year road trip. It comes at a time when the national road toll for the first four months of the year sits at 422 deaths.

NRMA Spokesperson Peter Khoury said too many Australians were losing their lives because they were driving exhausted.

“Fatigue is a factor in one in five crashes on Australian roads, the road toll this year is already far too high and this unnecessary risk can be removed by taking a break,” Mr Khoury said.

“Travelling safely begins with a good sleep the night before you start your journey, leaving at a time that you would normally be up and about, taking a break at least every two hours, and changing drivers where possible.”

Of the 23 per cent of people surveyed who had fallen asleep behind the wheel almost two-thirds (64%) said it occurred during the day. The research found 61 per cent planned their road trip departure around beating the traffic and almost one-quarter (24%) left before sunrise.

“Getting up at all hours of the morning to beat the traffic is still far too common among many drivers – it's also a surefire way of exposing yourself to fatigued driving along your journey and putting your life and the lives of your loved ones at risk.”

The NRMA Index also asked Australians about their future travel plans with nearly 70 per cent of Australians (68%) indicating they planned to travel domestically for their next holiday. For those who would be travelling interstate, 45 per cent planned to drive.

Mr Khoury said as more Australians chose to travel domestically for their holidays due to ongoing cost of living pressures, it was vital drivers prioritise safety on our roads.

“Whether you’re heading somewhere warmer for winter, to visit family and friends, or to enjoy the snow season, we know there will be more people about these holidays driving long distances on roads they are less familiar with so please plan to stop every two hours,” Mr Khoury said.