Driver fatigue
Fatigue is mental or physical tiredness that negatively affects your ability to function. It can increase the risk of incidents, and affect your driving performance and judgment.
Fatigue is one of the main contributors to work-related crashes. The effects of fatigue are cumulative, which means the more hours a driver spends on the road, the more dangerous fatigue becomes. For this reason, fleet drivers are at particularly high risk of fatigue.
How fatigue affects driving
Fatigue can affect your driving by:
- reducing your attention span
- slowing your reaction times
- affecting your judgment
- impairing your vehicle control and decision making.
Causes of fatigue
The main cause of driver fatigue is usually a lack of quality sleep. However, several other factors can contribute, including:
- constant mental or physical effort
- not enough or inadequate rest breaks
- environmental stresses, such as heat, noise and vibration
- poor quality sleep and long periods of being awake
- alcohol and drugs, including some prescription medications
- disruption of circadian rhythms (i.e. normal cycles of daytime activity and night sleep).
Warning signs of fatigue
While you’re driving, watch for these common signs of driver fatigue:
- tiredness or sleepiness
- lane drifting
- speed variation
- delayed reactions
- reduced concentration
- constant yawning
- drifting into microsleeps
- a nodding head or concentration lapses
- heavy or sore eyes, or blurred vision
- sweaty hands or impatience
- reduced steering control or vehicle wandering
- no recollection of periods of driving.
Responding to fatigue
If you feel tired or fatigued, stop driving and reassess your journey.
If you’re planning a trip and you already feel tired or fatigued, reassess your travel plans before commencing your journey.
Employee role in managing driver fatigue
As a Queensland Government employee, you can minimise driver fatigue and reduce your driving risk by:
- adopting good journey planning and management practices
- understanding the signs of fatigue
- getting enough sleep before you drive and not driving when you’re tired
- drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol consumption before driving
- taking rest breaks after every 2 hours of driving
- sharing the driving if travelling with a passenger
- using alternative transport when travelling long distances (e.g. flying)
- not driving in the hours when you would usually sleep (e.g. midnight to dawn)
- avoiding long trips after a full day’s work or consuming a large meal
- keeping the vehicle well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature
- keeping the mind active, but not distracted (e.g. listening to the car radio)
- remaining alert and not becoming too comfortable or complacent
- stopping for a power nap
- maintaining health and fitness through diet and exercise
- avoiding medications that cause drowsiness
- avoiding using drugs or medication to manage fatigue.
Employer role in managing driver fatigue
Employers also play a role in managing fatigue by promoting and assisting drivers to develop and adopt strategies like those listed here.
They can also offer training and education about driver fatigue and risk management. Read more about driver education and training.
Contact your fleet manager for more information.