Drive to survive this Christmas

Volume 48, No. 23, December 14, 2006

Fatigue facts Driver fatigue can severely impair judgement and can affect anyone. Fatigue is particularly dangerous because one of the symptoms is a decreased ability to judge our own level of tiredness. To combat fatigue, the most essential elements are: getting enough sleep taking regular rest breaks don’t drive when you’d normally sleep avoid long drives after work share the driving and pull over and stop when feeling drowsy.

By Gary Skewes

THE Christmas holiday period is commonly viewed as a time of heightened danger on our roads. The season is associated with a large increase in private travel, longer trip distances, more travel in rural areas and raised penalties for traffic offences. Between 1996 and 2005, Australian fatality numbers ranged between 48 and 86 nationwide over the Christmas/New Year period.

Within the last twelve months, six Defence personnel were recorded killed on Australian roads as a result of vehicle accidents. The main contributing factors to most fatal vehicle accidents are speed, fatigue and alcohol intake, and these have been identified as significant causal factors in Defence vehicle-related deaths.

This is particularly the case with Defence personnel who are often posted to areas which are a long way from friends and family and use the Christmas block leave period as the ideal time to take the trip.

Fatigue is likely to have a higher accident profile for those travelling over the Christmas period. Researchers have discovered that fatigue-related accidents occur prominantly on country roads.

It is important to note that driver fatigue is not simply a function of time spent driving but relates to many factors, including hours since last slept (hours of wakefulness) and time of day or night. Taking a break in the early to mid-afternoon period significantly lowers the chance of a fatigue-related accident.

Drivers may often make a choice to get away early on a Friday afternoon and drive through the night to maximise their time at destination or drive on to save on accommodation costs. While this may save some money, it significantly increases the chance of a fatigue-related accident and should be avoided where possible.

When undertaking long distance driving, it is not just driver fatigue that has to be managed. Managing the fatigue (and happiness) of other passengers assists them in being able to provide support for the driver – looking out for the warning signs of fatigue, talking to the driver and looking out for potential hazards on the road.

Happy kids are less likely to distract the driver, so make sure you plan breaks and activities for them to do in the car.

Defence sponsors an annual road safety initiative known as the Defence Highway Rest Stop Program. This allows Defence drivers to make use of on-base transit accommodation at a number of bases around Australia. It is specifically targeted at those travelling on holidays as opposed to members travelling on posting who are already in receipt of appropriate allowances. Bookings must be made in advance.

Full details of the program may be found on the Occupational Health, Safety and Compensation Branch website at: http://ohsc.defence.gov.au/Programs/RoadSafety/ Defence or http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/ohsc/Programs/RoadSafety/

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