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With the Easter holiday fast approaching, NRMA Motoring & Services and NRMA Insurance have joined together to urge motorists to be aware of driver fatigue and stay safe in the four-day holiday break.

Traditionally, Easter is a time when many people getaway for a driving holiday and aim to begin their journey after work to make the most of the short period of time.

“As the Easter break is only for four days, many motorists want to start their holiday as soon as possible, but I would avoid starting your trip at the end of a long work day,” NRMA CEO Tony Stuart said.

“Have an early night instead and help protect your family and friends by being fresh for the journey the next day.

“If you are planning a long trip, you should rest every two hours and stop overnight after a maximum of 8 hours of driving. If possible, try to share the driving on longer trips.

“Avoid driving between 1am and dawn when most people would normally be asleep. It is important to eat light meals such as sandwiches, fruit and water.”

“Driver fatigue is responsible for more than 100 deaths on NSW roads each year, and this Easter break could prove to be no exception,” he said.

NRMA Insurance Road Safety Manager, Pam Leicester said, “Thousands of people will be driving to and from holidays this Easter so we ask motorists to be fully rested before they get behind the wheel, and plan their trip beforehand.

“No one is immune to driver fatigue and the best way to avoid it is to take active steps to prevent it. Driver fatigue can happen at any time, not just during the night so motorists need to be aware of the signs of driver fatigue to make sure that they don’t put themselves, their passengers and other road users at risk by driving while tired.”

Some of the early warning signs of driver fatigue could include: 

• Minor aches and pains;

• Light boredom or fidgeting;

• Drifting of attention, tenseness, nervousness;

• Occasional yawning, light headache, tired eyes;

• Drowsiness, nodding off, difficulty concentrating;

• Missing signs or traffic signals.

Source: NRMA 

By coincidence, this press release was issued on the same day as one with an identical theme 

(but interesting differences in detail) in Britain. View that release here.