What is fatigue?

Fatigue is tiredness, weariness or exhaustion.

A person’s ability to drive a vehicle is impaired long before the begin ‘nodding off’ at the wheel.

Fatigue management

“Restricting work-time helps reduce the risk of fatigue in drivers of commercial and heavy motor vehicles.”

Source NZTA website

Fatigue Crash Facts

In 2018, fatigue was a factor in:

  • 22 fatal crashes (~7% of all fatal crashes)
  • 99 serious injury crashes

Source NZTA website

How does Fatigue affect me as a driver?

  • Slows my ability to react
  • Reduces my ability to concentrate
  • Leads to poor risk judgement
  • Results in excessive speed variations
  • Greater chance of drifting over the centre-line

How do I recognise the signs of Fatigue ?

  • Restlessness
  • Frequent blinking of eyes
  • Yawning
  • Late braking
  • Forgetting recent odometer reading
  • General drowsiness

Common myths about dealing with Fatigue

  • Drink coffee
  • Get some fresh air
  • Turn up the music

None of these reduce the underlying cause or the effects of Fatigue.

More resources on the effects of Fatigue