The NRMA has again joined a global road safety campaign featuring Barcelona football player Antoine Griezmann to encourage drivers to be aware of the risks of driving when tired.
The 3500LIVES advertising campaign, coordinated through the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and JCDecaux, will feature Antione across bus shelters throughout metropolitan areas from 21 September to 4 October and will highlight the risk of driver fatigue.
This period coincides with the September school holidays, where many drivers will be travelling to make the most of the Labour Day long weekend.
The risks associated with driver fatigue are alarming. Our Dead Tired report, revealed that driving after being awake for 17 hours was equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05, so it was crucial that drivers rested before driving these holidays.
Image Source: FIA
We know that fatigue is a major killer on our roads, with alarming statistics showing tiredness is one the three biggest killers on NSW roads, contributing to 19 percent of crashes in 2018.
The report also found that people who drive for a living, young drivers and new parents struggling with a lack of sleep are at particular risk. However, Australians are notoriously bad sleepers with 40 per cent of adults suffering from inadequate sleep.
The NRMA also wants to debunk the myth that fatigue only kicks in during long journeys – we know that tiredness can impact on a driver’s ability even on short journeys.
Dead Tired also points to the important role technology can play to address fatigue behind the wheel, with many new vehicles now including lane departure warning technology. Companies are also adopting technology that sets off sound alarms and seat vibrations when they detect a micro sleep.
At the end of the day the onus must be on drivers to be alert to the risks of driving tired, recognise the symptoms and rest up before driving. Everyone has a role to play in making safer roads for all.
