Today, April 23, is Driver Fatigue Awareness Day, where we remember the lives lost to fatigue-related crashes.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said Driver Fatigue Awareness Day reminds us how deadly driving while tired is and what road users can do to manage fatigue.
“Falling into a micro-sleep, even for a few seconds, can be fatal – a driver can travel more than 100 metres without any control at all over their vehicle,” McCormack said.
“Making sure we get enough sleep before driving, taking regular breaks, or pulling over to take a power nap when we feel fatigue setting in can be the difference to arriving at our destination alive.
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz added that driver fatigue had been identified as one of the ‘Fatal Five’ road safety factors that contribute to road trauma, being a factor in up to 30 per cent of all deaths and severe injuries on our roads.
“Initiatives such as the Driver Reviver Site Upgrade Program showcase what governments and communities can achieve when working together. Applications for Round Two of this $8 million program are now closed and being assessed.”
Buchholz added that the Australian Government had made investments into road safety such as the $2 billion Road Safety Program, which he said would help reduce the $30 billion annual cost of road crashes to the national economy.