TWU PROMOTES SAFETY DURING NATIONAL DRIVER FATIGUE WEEK

‘Human life is more important than a deadline’, said NSW TWU secretary Richard Olsen, responding to a report showing that NSW recorded a 47 per cent rise in people losing their lives in fatigue related crashes last year.

To help raise awareness of the dangers of driving fatigued, the NSW Government is promoting fatigue safety and the benefits of taking a power nap during National Driver Fatigue Week which runs from February 21-27 2025.

‘If you’re tired when driving, then it’s time to take a break. For transport workers, safety must come first’, Mr. Olsen said.

Alongside speeding, drink and drug driving, fatigue is one of the top killers on NSW roads. The vast majority of crashes involving fatigue are happening on regional roads, 69 of the 78 deaths occurring in regional communities in 2024.

“Regional and country roads are a key workplace of NSW transport workers”, Mr. Olsen said, “and the TWU supports the government’s initiatives to make your workplace safer.”

“If you feel tired while driving or experience any of the early warning signs such as yawning, restlessness or sore eyes, pull over in a safe place, stretch your legs and have a power nap at one of the many rest areas available in NSW.”

The NSW government’s awareness and education effort builds on other road safety initiatives which are aiming to reduce fatigue related crashes and improve road safety overall. These include:

• Rolling out around $1 billion in lifesaving infrastructure upgrades on regional and metropolitan roads through the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program and the joint federal/ state funded Road Safety Program.
• Investing $46 million on 2700 kilometres worth of rumble strips to help fight fatigue.
• Maintaining 673 signposted rest areas and building a new rest area on the Newell Highway north of Narrabri.
• Upgrading rest areas through the $11.9 million statewide Heavy Vehicle Rest Stop Minor Works program.
• Promoting 56 volunteer run Driver Reviver rest area sites where motorists travelling during holiday periods can stop for a free tea or coffee.
• Running high visibility communication campaigns such as the ‘Don’t Trust Your Tired Self’ campaign.
• Launching a trial of average speed cameras for light vehicles in 2025.
• Upgrading mobile phone detection cameras to detect seatbelt offenders.
• Doubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with an additional 2,700 new sites where a camera can be deployed. (Total enforcement hours remain the same).

“The TWU wants you and the community to be safe in the workplace, and safe on the road”, Mr. Olsen said.

For more information and tips on how to combat fatigue, visit the Power Nap website: https://powernap.org.au.