Almost one in four Australians have succumbed to a microsleep while driving, new research from the NRMA has revealed.
The nationwide index survey of more than 2000 Australians showed that, of the 23 per cent of respondents who had fallen asleep behind the wheel, almost two-thirds said it occurred during the day.
The shocking figure comes as the national road toll for the past 12 months to May sits at 1337 deaths.
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This is a 4.8 per cent increase from the same time last year, figures from the federal government’s National Road Safety Data Hub show.
The NRMA survey results also found that nearly 40 per cent of drivers are not taking a break at least every two hours when driving longer distances of three hours or more.
When planning a road trip, 61 per cent were most concerned about beating the traffic and almost one-quarter left before sunrise, the research showed.
NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said too many Australians were losing their lives because they were driving exhausted.
“Fatigue is a factor in one in five crashes on Australian roads, the road toll this year is already far too high and this unnecessary risk can be removed by taking a break,” Khoury said.
The survey results come as many Australians prepare to hit the road for their winter break.
Almost 70 per cent of Australians planned to stay within the country for their next holiday, and, for those who would be travelling interstate, 45 per cent planned to drive.
Khoury said as more Australians chose to travel domestically for their holidays due to ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it was vital drivers prioritised safety on our roads.
“Whether you’re heading somewhere warmer for winter, to visit family and friends, or to enjoy the snow season, we know there will be more people about these holidays driving long distances on roads they are less familiar with so please plan to stop every two hours,” Khoury said.
