Fatigue a killer on our roads
Driver fatigue continues to be a focus for road safety agencies over the holiday period.
Waikato District Council road safety co-ordinator Megan Jolly said many people were quick to think of speed and alcohol as key road safety issues, but fatigue is also a killer on our roads.
Leading up to Christmas, the police, council and emergency services from Ngaruawahia carried out a driver fatigue promotion on SH1 in Ngaruawahia. Motorists were stopped by the police and volunteers from the emergency services handed out information.
“The key message was to ‘catch up on lost sleep’ before you set out on holiday, and to have frequent breaks when driving long distances.
“We sweetened up the message to motorists by handing out Kit Kat chocolate bars with the slogan ‘have a break have a Kit Kat,’ Ms Jolly said.
Sergeant Burgess who was also present at the fatigue stop, urged motorists not to ignore the early warning signs of fatigue and to do something about it before a crash occurred.
"A moment’s inattention, the brief shutting of your eyelids can cause irreparable devastation and damage to people’s lives," she said.
The fatigue stops were also supported by Fulton Hogan and the New Zealand Transport Agency.
Overseas research suggests that up to 25 per cent of all fatal crashes could be fatigue related. In the Waikato region there were 572 fatigue related crashes between 2006-2010. This included 63 deaths.
Motorists who find themselves driving tired are advised to either swap drivers or pull over for a power nap.
Key signs of driver fatigue are blinking frequently, constant yawning, poor gear changes, wandering over the centre line or road edge, wandering thoughts and
not remembering driving the last few kilometres.
ENDS
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For more information contact:
Megan Jolly
Road safety co-ordinator
Waikato District Council
021 298 9920