Here in Australia, we are so fortunate to be surrounded by such beautiful rural towns that have an abundance to offer. So, it comes as no surprise that many families and travellers find themselves frequenting to these places throughout the year. However, rural road fatalities make up two thirds of our national road toll.
Research conducted by Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) shows that at least 71% of drivers from the metro and regional areas admit to driving dangerously on rural roads. Drivers who normally reside in metropolitan areas may misjudge the environment of the rural roads, which can lead to an error in their speed or reaction time causing a fatal accident.
With faster road limits compared to metropolitan streets, fatigue can have a detrimental effect. A driver who has been awake for 17 hours is known to have the same reaction time as someone with a BAC reading of 0.05g/100ml, doubling their risk of being involved in an accident. While driving at a speed of 100km/hr, if the driver nods off to sleep for even just 3 seconds, the car would have travelled over 80 meters without any control. Regardless of driver experience, vigilance is crucial when driving in these rural areas due to the wildlife that resides surrounding the roads.
What are the Signs of Fatigue?
Various symptoms can present when experiencing tiredness, the following are just some signs you are experiencing fatigue:
- Heavy or sore eyes
- Inability to focus or loss of concentration
- Impatience
- Yawning
- Irregular speed
If you think you are experiencing fatigue, the safest and most effective way to overcome this is to pull over to the side of the road and take a break. It is strongly recommended that for every 2 hours of driving, you take a 15-minute break.
Just by taking a break when you feel fatigued, you could be saving the lives of not just you and your loved ones, but also other road users.