Police warn drivers of fatigue during Xmas

[AWD Chaser]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/...ue-during-xmas

Tired drivers can be just as deadly on Australian roads over Christmas as drunk drivers, police warn.
In a battle to prevent deaths on the roads, police on both sides of the Tasman are highlighting the dangers of driver fatigue.
Australian and New Zealand Police Advisory Agency boss Jon White said day-dreaming, "zoning out" and momentary inattention were common among fatigued drivers and increased the risk of accidents and death.
"Driving tired can be as dangerous as drink-driving," Mr White said.
"Falling asleep is the worst-case scenario but fatigue can result in momentary inattention, zoning out and day-dreaming which are all extremely hazardous while driving.
"Fatigue represents a causal factor in up to 30 per cent of fatalities in Australia and up to 13 per cent in New Zealand.
"Being tired slows our reaction times and our ability to concentrate on the road and traffic around us."
Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said there was another contributing factor to accidents on Australian roads that was rarely discussed - attitude.
Mr Atkinson said the mindset of drivers was as important as their physical well-being, especially on long journeys.
In an open letter to Queenslanders, Mr Atkinson has implored drivers to have a safe, patient and caring mindset when driving.
"Your personal approach every time you get behind the wheel is one of the most important factors in your safety and that of others on the roads," Mr Atkinson said in a letter.
"Aggressive, impatient driving is more likely to be a factor in crashes, linked with speeding, or bad decisions such as overtaking when it is not safe, tailgating, and generally taking unnecessary risks.
"At this time of the year one of the best aspects is the goodwill that is exampled by patience, tolerance, care and courtesy.
"Well-wishes from relative strangers, and small acts of kindness embody the generosity of the season."
Mr White gave some basic tips to help people avoid becoming tired and weary drivers this Christmas:
- Stop for 10 minutes every two hours.
- Have at least 7.5 hours sleep the night before driving.
- Limit travel to 10 hours a day.
- Swap drivers where possible.
- Avoid medications that make you drowsy.

Fatigue represents a causal factor in up to 30 per cent of fatalities in Australia

Maybe the govt should focus on reducing this... but I guess there is no automatic way to tax fatigued drivers...

[csv8]

I thought it was speeding ???? But then they cann't fine you for fatigue??
Speed cameras cann't detect fatigue....yet the Police have a paranoia on speeding, when its not the main cause of accidents.
Have a safe and wonderful Chrsitmas ,may 2012 be a great year for us all...

[Ben73]

Didn't they recently say speeding is a factor in 25% of crashes.
That is just a factor, not the cause.

Now they admit that fatigue causes more crashes then speeding!

Still nothing will change. More cameras to come. Nothing will be done about fatigue other then this 'warning'

[K10wN]

Speed is a factor in all fatigue related accidents. If the car wasn't moving when you fell asleep you wouldn't crash now would you...

Getting to your destination quicker instead of endless miles of nothing is a great way to beat fatigue. What a conundrum.

[TheInterceptor]

WTF thats bullcrap...im calling Sudszy...

[2011G6E]

They're also studying suspicions they have that water is wet and fire could, in fact, be hot...
This is also the time of year when authorities act all surprised when the road toll rises over christmas and new years times (and other holiday periods)...but it's perfectly natural when you consider a few simple factors. You have a short period of time when all of a sudden there are tensn of thousands of extra cars on the road, usually driven by drivers who don't have a lot of experience driving long highway distances and try and fit too much distance into too small a time period.

We have fatigue hammered into us out here for work...lectures, posters, reminders everywhere. Not to mention highway signs as soon as you turn onto the Capricorn Highway from Rocky and begin heading inland that all say "Fatigue: The number one highway killer".

The most important thing about "fatigue" is that it's completely different to being "tired"...the point being that you know when you're "tired", but you usually won't know when you're "fatigued"...until it's too late.
There's a few things everyone ought to know like the signs of fatigue, which are different to being simply tired...you might feel OK, but you will find yourself:
* Blinking more often.
* Fidgeting in your seat, moving around more.
* "Zoning out"...suddenly realising you can't recall the last few seconds.
* The Stare...you find yourself fixating on a spot way down the road and everything else seems to fade out.
* You think you're concentrating on driving, but you find yourself wandering in the lane and running wide in corners.

You usually won't be yawning, you usually won't nod off, you'll just start to make mistakes, potentially fatal ones, like the aformentioned running wide in corners and over-correcting....in effect yes, it's just like being over the blood alcohol limit.

Don't fool yourself...coffee does nothing, stay-awake pills do nothing, the only "cure" for fatigue is sleep, pure and simple. There are heroes who think they can drive for twenty hours at a time, and once or twice they might get away with it...but the rest of us out there sharing the road with you would like to say "don't be a tard and drive to a sensible shcedule"...

[DJM83]

I wont be driving anywhere but to work, i hate christmas.

[Keepleft]

Note our increasing co-operation with NZPOL re traffic and roads.

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Note our increasing co-operation with NZPOL re traffic and roads.

Are you saying we are gonna get our own TV series of "Mewter Wei Pitrel" (Motor Way Patrol)?