TfNSW - Driver Fatigue 2012...6 TfNSW Driver Fatigue Study September 2012 As far as breaks were...

2012 Driver Fatigue Quantitative and Qualitative Study Conducted for: Centre for Road Safety Transport for NSW

September 2012

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TfNSW Driver Fatigue Study September 2012

Contents

List of Figures 3

List of Tables 4

Executive Summary 5

Objective 5

Research Design 5

Introduction and Background 10 Objectives 13

Methodology 15

1. Driving Behaviour 18

1.1. Frequency of Driving 18

1.2. Personal vs. Work Driving 19

1.3. Driving at Night 19

1.4. Short Trip Driving Behaviour 21

1.5. Long Trip Driving Behaviour 23

2. Attitudes Toward Driving 32

2.1. Perceptions of Driving When Fatigued 32

2.2. The Perceived Importance of Driving Techniques 40

2.3. Perceived Dangers of Various Situation that Could Result in Driver Fatigue 41

2.4. Driver Behaviour Index 43

3. Personal Experiences with Driver Fatigue 45

3.1. Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue 45

3.2. Common Causes of Driver Fatigue 50

3.3. Early Warning Signs of Driver Fatigue 53

3.4. Reasons for Driving While Fatigued 58

3.5. Motivators to Stop Driving When Fatigued 63

4. Potential Countermeasures for Driver Fatigue 64

4.1. Support for Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal 64

4.2. Other Potential Countermeasures 67

5. Discussion and Conclusions 69

Appendix 1 – Detailed Tables 71

Appendix 2 – Qualitative Pre-task Questionnaire 100

Appendix 3 – Qualitative Pre-task Summary of Outcomes 102

Appendix 4 – Main Quantitative Questionnaire 104

Appendix 5 – Details of Behavioural Index 121

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List of Figures Figure 1: Frequency of Driving 18 Figure 2: Hours Spent in Vehicle in Average Week 18 Figure 3: Proportion of Driving for Personal/Work 19 Figure 4: Proportion of Driving Done Between 10pm-6am, Comparisons for 2006, 2012 20 Figure 5: Proportion of Driving Done Between 10pm-6am 2012 20 Figure 6: Number of Short Trips Taken in the Last Week 21 Figure 7: Average Number of Breaks –Most Recent Short Trip 22 Figure 8: Number of Long Trips Taken in the Last 12 Months 23 Figure 9: Number of Long Trips Taken in the Last 12 Months – by Selected Segments 24 Figure 10: Common Break Locations - Most Recent Long Trip 25 Figure 11: Common Reasons for Taking a Break - Long Trip (Prompted) 26 Figure 12: Fatigue Avoidance Strategies - Pre-journey (Unprompted) 30 Figure 13: Fatigue Avoidance Strategies - During journey (Unprompted) 31 Figure 14: Perceptions of Driving when Fatigued - The Denial Related Factors 33 Figure 15: Perceptions of Driving when Fatigued - The Compliance Related Factors 34 Figure 16: Perceptions of Driving when Fatigued - The Compromise Related Factors 35 Figure 17: Perceptions of Driving when Fatigued – (Comparisons) 36 Figure 18: Serious Perceptions of Driving Factors - Score 9-10 37 Figure 19: Perceptions of Specific Behaviours - Morally Wrong 38 Figure 20: Perceptions of Specific Behaviours - Most Dangerous 39 Figure 21: Importance of Safe Driving Techniques 41 Figure 22: Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip 42 Figure 23: Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip (Comparisons) 43 Figure 24: Driver Behavioural Index 44 Figure 25: Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue 45 Figure 26: Total Incidence of Fatigue Causing Crash Comparing 2001, 2006, 2012 46 Figure 27: Time Since Crash/Near Miss Occurred 46 Figure 28: Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue - Long Trips 48 Figure 29: Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue - Short Trips 48 Figure 30: Experiences of Fatigue by Time of Day 49 Figure 31: Incidence of Experiencing Sleep Debt 52 Figure 32: Incidence of Experiencing 'Early Warning Signs' 54 Figure 33a -33b: Reactions to 'Early Warning Signs' Comparing 2006 , 2012 56 Figure 34: Reasons for Continuing to Drive Even While Tired – (Prompted) 59 Figure 35: Acceptable Distance Away from Destination to 'Push On' - Average Minutes 62 Figure 36: Reasons for Stopping - Long Trip (Prompted) 63 Figure 37: Support for Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal: 2006, 2012 64 Figure 38: Legal Definition of Driving when Fatigued (Prompted) 65 Figure 39: Appropriate Penalties for Driving While Fatigued (Prompted) 66

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List of Tables Table 1: Perceived Common Caused of Driver Fatigue 50 Table 2: Understanding of 'Sleep Debt' 51 Table 3: Unprompted Identification of Driver Fatigue signs 53 Table 4: Incidence of 'Early Warning Signs' 55 Table 5: Reasons Against Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal 65

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Executive Summary Objective

The overall objective of the research was to provide an up-to-date exploration of knowledge, attitudes

and self-reported behaviours of NSW drivers in relation to fatigue. The study included exploration of:

Awareness and understanding of fatigue;

Attitudes towards fatigue;

Fatigue related behaviours; and

Potential countermeasures for fatigue.

Research Design

The study was undertaken in two separate phases that involved a quantitative survey followed by

qualitative group discussions.

Quantitative Survey:

This phase of research involved an online survey of a representative sample of 1000 NSW licence

holders. The scope of the study was similar to that carried out in 2006, and comparisons to that study

(and another from 2001) have been drawn where relevant.

Qualitative Group Discussions:

The second phase of the study involved a series of eight mini-group discussions with male and female

drivers across Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Newcastle and Wagga Wagga. Each group consisted of between

4 and 6 participants.

Key Findings

Current Driving Behaviour

The majority of drivers (68%) drive their vehicle every day, typically more than three hours a week, with

two thirds of those occasions being for personal reasons.

Within the group discussions, long trips were defined by participants as more than 2-3 hours in duration,

usually to a destination outside of their home city or town. The survey showed that 63% of drivers had

taken three or more long trips (defined as 2 or more hours, outside of their home city/town) in the last

12 months, with the likelihood of taking a long trip higher amongst males 30-49 years (74%).

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As far as breaks were concerned, most drivers did not consider planning or preparing for short trips

(defined in the survey as less than 2 hours in duration, within their home city/town). However there was

some degree of pre-planning for longer trips which mainly consisted of getting the car ready, getting a

good night’s sleep or printing out maps (e.g. from Google maps). Young males were less inclined to

prepare for a long trip, and some indicated they were happy to have a big night out and little sleep

before setting off.

On a typical 2-3 hour trip, most survey respondents reported either stopping only once (55%) or not at

all (31%). Those who had driven longer distances (more than 6 hours) indicated that they had taken a

break on average every 3-4 hours (34%).

The most common places for stopping on long trips were service stations (40%), fast food restaurants

(42%), or places where there were both service stations and restaurants (34%). The most frequently

mentioned motivations for stopping were to use the bathroom (66%), stretch one’s legs (56%), and have

something to eat (53%). One third of drivers (34%) claimed to have stopped due to feeling tired or

drowsy.

Attitudes and Barriers to Stopping When Fatigued

Attitudinal statements provided to survey respondents were grouped into three main categories:

Denial

Agreement with statements such as ‘when tired on a long trip I try to make it to the next town

before I stop’ and ‘when I have to get somewhere by a certain time, I know I can keep driving on

a long trip without stopping’ were particularly strong amongst 17-29 year old respondents (48%

for the earlier statement) and young males aged 17-29 years (37% for the latter statement).

Compromise

Amongst males both 17-29 and 30-49 years there was stronger agreement with statements such

as ‘my driving is not affected by missing a few hours sleep the night before’ (34% and 30%

respectively) and ‘being tired doesn’t change my ability to drive’ (26% amongst 17-29 year old

males).

Compliance

Older drivers (over 50 years) tended to be more compliant and were more likely to agree with

statements such as ‘when I feel really tired on a short trip I would be prepared to pull over’

(85%) and ‘I plan where I will stop for breaks on a long trip’ (72%). Young males aged 17-29 years

on the other hand, tended to agree less strongly with all the compliance statements put to

them.

The perceived seriousness of driving while fatigued has increased significantly over the last 6 years with

63% of drivers scoring driver fatigue an 8, 9 or 10 out of ten in terms of its seriousness in 2006, to 75%

of drivers scoring it 8, 9, or 10 out of ten in this 2012 research. However, while fatigue was seen to be

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important in overall terms, in the group discussions it did not appear to equate with other driving issues

such as speeding or drink driving.

Even so, driving fatigued has increasingly been seen as something that is morally wrong (63%, up from

56% in 2006) and dangerous, with 71% ranking it as most or second most dangerous from a range of

risky driving behaviours. Drivers also agreed that it was important to pull over and rest when feeling

fatigued (85% gave a score between 8 and 10 out of ten in terms of importance).

The reasons for continuing to drive whilst tired tended to be varied. Some of the reasons mentioned in

the group discussions included:

the need to meet deadlines or adhere to commitments;

the belief of becoming more awake in due course;

inexperience with the signs of fatigue;

peer pressure/family pressures;

safety concerns;

anticipation of getting home;

‘beating’ the GPS (i.e. the estimated time set by the GPS);

avoiding frustrations;

a sense of pride;

a feeling of invincibility;

not wanting to waste time;

a feeling that there is nowhere to stop;

not wanting to stop too frequently.

Understanding of Fatigue

Fatigue was recognised as an issue on long trips (but not short trips) and was one that drivers showed a

degree of concern about. However it does not have the same air of seriousness surrounding it as

speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol.

Around a third of respondents had experienced driver fatigue on both long (35%) and short trips (34%),

particularly males aged 30-49 years (48% on long trips and 42% on short trips). However, the frequency

of admitting to driving while fatigued is low (10% ‘very often’ or ‘often’).

The afternoon (12noon-4pm) was a peak time for experiencing driver fatigue on long (33%) and short

(24%) trips, followed by the morning between 9am and 12 noon (13% and 9% respectively). Older

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drivers (aged 50+) tended to experience fatigue more in the afternoon (38%), with younger drivers (aged

17-29) indicating a higher prevalence in the morning (25%) between 9am and 12noon.

The signs of fatigue appear to be well known, however their link to microsleeps was not as well

recognised amongst group participants. The top three recognised early warning signs of driver fatigue

were:

- yawning (45%);

- difficulty focussing (40%); and

- tired or sore eyes (25%).

The warning signs that would cause drivers to stop straight away were:

- a microsleep (86%);

- oversteering (52%); and

- drowsiness (50%).

Knowledge of warning signs and driver fatigue as an issue was mainly seen to have come from previous

advertising with group participants still recalling Dr Karl and his microsleep campaign as well as the

recent ‘Wake up to the signs’ communication campaign.

Over one in ten drivers had been in a fatigue related crash, with this being significantly more likely to

have occurred on a long trip. Those who had experienced a near miss admitted it had shaken them,

however many suggested they would still be willing to drive with someone who they knew to be a little

tired.

Penalties for Driving Fatigued

The group participants noted that fatigue was treated differently to other driving issues (such as

speeding and drink driving), for which ‘the law’ reinforced the importance through rules, regulation, and

enforcement – and this was not seen to be the case with fatigue.

More than half of drivers agreed that there should be a penalty for driving fatigued, with the most

common definition being driving after not having slept for 17 hours or more. However, survey

respondents recognized that this would be hard to police.

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Conclusions

From the findings of the research there were a number of issues that emerged for consideration:

1. It became apparent that the notion of a short trip is an ambiguous one. In any future research or

communication, caution will need to be taken when using the term ‘short trip’. It will need to be

defined clearly as to what is meant by the term in a way that is not open to misinterpretation.

2. In addition, ‘short trips’ are currently not regarded as requiring a break of any kind. Any future

communication should give consideration to alerting drivers to the danger of fatigue in any

situation by suggesting that it is not only an issue on long trips, but also on short trips.

3. There appeared to be little pre-planning in terms of formalised selection of stops or breaks along

the way in the case of long trips. In that regard, there may be merit in devising a strategy aimed at

encouraging drivers to pre-plan regular rests or breaks within their trip.

4. Less severe symptoms of fatigue were ignored and many did not know when being tired was too

tired. That is, when the chance of a microsleep is high. In that regard, there is an opportunity to

communicate the ease with which a microsleep can occur when tired and strongly link other signs

of fatigue with the onset of microsleeps.

5. The 17-29 year male segment were generally of the mindset that they are somewhat invincible and

capable of “pushing on”, even when they do experience signs of fatigue. They were also less

inclined to prepare themselves before taking a long trip. While the need to ‘push on’ was strongest

amongst this younger sub-group, consideration should be given to further educating drivers on

the signs of driver fatigue in order to heighten the perceived level of risk associated with

experiencing ‘early warning’ signs. This could also stress the importance of stopping immediately

when those signs appear, no matter how long the trip; to not push on, especially when close to

reaching their destination.

6. The peer pressure to demonstrate that you can keep driving when tired was strong amongst younger males. Perhaps the force of peer pressure can be harnessed to stop drivers from pushing on by devising a strategy that is specifically targeted at young male drivers who are too proud to take a break.

7. When compared with driving under the influence of alcohol and to some extent speeding, driving

fatigued was not considered as serious. We would suggest consideration be given to using future

communication to lift the seriousness and prevalence of driver related fatigue crashes and

perhaps utilising comparisons of driving fatigued to driving with a high blood alcohol level or at

high speeds.

8. Of the campaigns, the Dr Karl campaign was the most well recalled, with the most prominent

residual messaging being the discussion about microsleeps and the night time setting. There was

also a perception that the risk of a microsleep is much greater in the evening (which appeared to

have been fuelled by advertising featuring Dr Karl’s reference to circadian rhythms), so much so that

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many drivers try to time their arrival time to be before dusk. However, many drivers were also

experiencing fatigue when driving in the afternoon. In future communication, it may be beneficial

to highlight the dangers of fatigue during the afternoon as drivers believed they were more

cautious at night and associated microsleeps more with night time driving.

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Introduction

This project was commissioned by the Centre for Road Safety in order to get an up to date read on the

level of understanding and knowledge, as well as attitudes and self-reported behaviours of NSW drivers

in relation to driver fatigue.

The research was conducted between May and June 2012.

Background

Driver fatigue is known to be a major contribution to the NSW road toll. In 2011 around 70 people were

killed on NSW roads due to crashes where fatigue was identified as a factor. Fatigue itself is a general

term that has been commonly used to describe the experience of being ‘sleepy’, ‘tired’ or ‘exhausted’. It

is conceptualised as both a physiological and a psychological experience. Known early warning signs of

driver fatigue include:

Yawning

Poor concentration

Tired eyes

Restlessness

Drowsiness

Slow reactions

Boredom

Oversteering

A person with fatigue may also fall asleep while driving. These microsleep episodes may last for a

fraction of a second or up to thirty seconds, and it is not unusual for the person experiencing it to be

unaware that they were in fact asleep.

Although driver fatigue can occur in any driver, the majority of drivers involved in fatigue related crashes

in NSW were males, particularly those aged 17-49 years. In fact, in 2010 74% of all fatigue related

crashes were males of this age group.

Prior research has also shown that there are a number of clear risk factors that increase the propensity

for driver fatigue, and include:

Sleep loss/sleep deprivation

Long hours of wakefulness

Driving during normal sleeping hours (disrupting circadian rhythms)

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Sleep disorders

Time spent driving without rest

Alcohol consumption

Driver fatigue has also been found to be a complex and difficult road safety issue to address. Unlike

other major driving related issues (such as drink driving and speeding), there is currently no legislation

or enforcement in NSW to specifically regulate driver fatigue (except for heavy vehicle drivers).

Quantitative surveys to understand the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of NSW drivers in relation

to fatigue were undertaken in both 2001 and 2006 by the Centre for Road Safety (previously part of the

Roads and Traffic Authority). Efforts have been made to increase public awareness of the issue of

fatigue through public education campaigns that developed as a result of those studies. Transport for

NSW’s (TfNSW) current public education strategy for fatigue focuses on educating drivers about the

physiological and psychological symptoms of fatigue. The current campaign ‘Wake up to the signs’

outlines the symptoms and instructions for addressing driver fatigue - tired eyes, drowsiness, yawning,

and loss of concentration, and to take a break.

Given that a new driver fatigue strategy, including a new marketing campaign, is planned for

development to specifically address driver fatigue in NSW, it was felt that updated research was

required to help guide and inform this process.

This document provides the findings of the study undertaken by Woolcott Research in May and June

2012.

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Objectives

The overall objective of the research was to provide an up-to-date exploration of knowledge, attitudes

and self-reported behaviours of NSW drivers in relation to driver fatigue. The study included an

exploration of:

Awareness and Understanding of Fatigue

• Knowledge of sleep related causes of fatigue (including sleep debt);

• The understanding of how these causes can influence and impact driving performance;

• Awareness of the symptoms of driver fatigue;

• The level of each symptom deemed necessary to prompt action.

Attitudes Toward Driver Fatigue

• Current attitudes toward being tired when driving including the degree of social acceptability,

negative effects on driving, perceived dangers etc.;

• Where driver fatigue is seen to ‘fit’ in relation to other dangerous driving behaviour, e.g.

speeding, drink driving etc.;

• The behavioural motivators/drivers that result in people deciding to drive while tired, and how

these can be addressed;

• Known motivators such as “meeting deadlines” and “pushing on to get there” and what is

required to alter the perceived need to continue on.

Fatigue Related Behaviours

• Motivators for taking breaks and the specifics of these (e.g. how frequently and for how long),

and whether they were prompted by any specific driver fatigue symptoms;

• Experiences of near misses;

• Action commonly taken to avoid or combat driver fatigue, both prior to and during the trip;

• The impact of passengers on fatigue-related behaviours;

• Barriers to the adoption of good fatigue management practices and how these can be overcome.

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Potential Countermeasures for Fatigue

• Potential motivators and strategies that may lead to a positive attitude shift and/or behavioural

change to ultimately reduce incidences of driver fatigue;

• The acceptance of Government implemented measures to counter the issue of fatigue, and

generate ideas in terms of what additional measures could be taken;

• The potential introduction of legislation prohibiting driving whilst fatigued, as well as various

potential penalties for the offence.

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Methodology

The study was undertaken in two separate phases that involved a quantitative survey followed by

qualitative group discussions.

Quantitative Survey:

The first phase of research involved an online survey of a representative sample of 1000 NSW licence

holders. Within the report we have analysed the results by the main groupings of age, gender and

location. Throughout the report ‘metro’ refers to licence holders within the Sydney Metropolitan area

and ‘regional’ to licence holders from the rest of NSW.

Survey respondents were able to indicate that they were holders of multiple license types, and

as such the total adds to more than 100%.

To provide the contact sample, the services of an external panel provider (Research Now) were utilised.

In turn, the survey respondents (referred to as ‘respondents’ throughout the report) were provided with

a small incentive once the survey was complete and validated. This incentive is credited to the account

of the respondent – who, when they reach a minimum dollar amount, is able to redeem vouchers from a

range of (mainly online) outlets and service providers.

While a panel provider was used to provide the sample, Woolcott Research maintained responsibility for

scripting and hosting the questionnaire. This allowed us to include our normal quality control

procedures in the checking of set-up, and monitoring progress on a daily basis.

The average duration for questionnaire completion was just under 23 minutes, and the fieldwork was

carried out between 9 and 22 May 2012.

The scope of the study was similar to that carried out in 2006, and comparisons to that study, and

another from 2001, have been drawn where relevant. Both previous studies used a CATI methodology,

with a sample of 1075 NSW drivers in the 2001 study and a sample of 1000 NSW drivers in 2006.

Total

(n=1002)

Male

(n=486)

Female (n=516)

Age

17-29 (n=198)

30-49 (n=390)

50+ (n=414)

Licence Type by Segment (%)

Unrestricted\Full car licence

88 87 89 78 90 91

Provisional 6 4 7 20 5 0

Motorcycle 13 16 1 10 17 11

Heavy Vehicle 12 4 4 2 11 17

Other 1 1 1 0 2 1

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Qualitative Group Discussions:

The second phase of the study involved a series of eight mini-group discussions, as per the table below,

consisting of between 4 and 6 participants in each:

Sydney CBD/ Parramatta

Newcastle Wagga Wagga Total

Males 17-25 years

‘Singles’ ‘Singles/Couples’ - 2 groups

Males 30-50 years

‘Families’ - ‘Singles/Couples’ 2 groups

Males 50-79 years

‘Retirees’ - ‘Empty Nesters’ 2 groups

Females 17-25 years

‘Singles/Couples’ 30-50 years

‘Families’ - 2 groups

TOTAL 4 groups 2 groups 2 groups 8 groups

A screening questionnaire was used to ensure that all group members (referred to as ‘participants’

throughout the report) had:

Taken more than one ‘long trip’ in the last 6 months (of 2 hours or more);

Driven more than twice a week for personal reasons; and

Felt a sense of fatigue while driving in the last 6 months.

The mini-groups were conducted in locations central to the participants, with viewing facilities made

available for all Sydney groups. The sessions ran for up to an hour and a half, and participants were

offered a cash incentive to compensate for their time and thank them for their cooperation. The

participants were recruited using professional group recruiters who identified people from their data

base that fit the criteria and then asked if they could attend a group discussion.

Pre-Group Task:

To encourage group participants to be open and honest in their discussion of fatigue a short ‘homework’

exercise was given to each group participant to complete (see Appendix 2). This asked details of their

last long distance trip, including who they were travelling with, the original and destination locations,

how many stops were taken, the purpose of stops taken, length of time for stops taken, how they felt at

various points along the way etc. This ensured that participants had pre-established trip details, and

were not tempted to provide more socially acceptable details of their driving behaviour in the group

discussions.

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This report provides a detailed description of the findings from both phases of the study, with graphs

and tables incorporated that refer to the quantitative survey results. On the graphs and tables, figures

that appear in red indicate that they are significantly higher than the total, whilst those in bold and

underlined indicate that the figure is significantly lower than the total for all respondents.

A copy of the pre task questionnaire and the results of that component are in the appendices, along with the questionnaire utilised in the quantitative survey, detailed tabular findings of the survey results and a description of the Driver Behaviour Index .

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1. Driving Behaviour

1.1. Frequency of Driving

The majority of respondents drove frequently, with more than two thirds (68%) driving daily, and a

quarter (25%) driving a few times a week. Only 7% of the respondents drove less often (Figure 1).

Further details of the main sub groups of interest are available (for all measures) in Appendix 1, and in

this case they show that younger respondents, aged 17 to 29 years, were the least likely to drive on a

daily basis (60% for the males and 61% for the females, see Table A1), while regional respondents were

more likely than the metropolitan respondents to be daily drivers (73% and 66% respectively).

Figure 1: Frequency of Driving

68

25

7

Every day A few times a week Less often

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). S5 Roughly how often would you say you drive (this may include driving a vehicle owned by

someone else)?

As indicated in Figure 2, the frequency of driving is reinforced by the amount of time that respondents

indicated they spent driving (on average) in a typical week – with half (50%) driving between three and

ten hours, and more than one in five (22%) driving between eleven and twenty hours.

Generally, female drivers were less frequent drivers than males – with 25% of females aged 17 to 29

years, 29% of females aged 30 to 49, and 27% of females aged 50 or over driving less than three hours a

week - compared to 20%, 17%, and 17% of males respectively (see Table A2).

Figure 2: Hours Spent in Vehicle in Average Week

22

50

226

Less than

3 hours

3-10

hours

11-20 hours More than

20 hours

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). S6 On an average week, how many hours would you spend driving a vehicle?

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1.2. Personal vs. Work Driving

In total, 71% of driving was attributed to personal purposes, with the remainder (29%) classified as work

related travel (Figure 3).

The proportion of work related travel was significantly higher amongst those who drove on a daily basis

(36%), and significantly lower for those who drove less often. There was also a positive correlation

between the proportion of work driving and the hours per week spent behind the wheel, with 62% of

those driving for 20 hours or more a week being for work, compared to only 19% of those who drove

under three hours a week.

Males aged 30 to 49 years had the highest proportion of work related travel (41%), with heavy vehicle

drivers being close behind (39% of their driving was for work). Females aged 50 or over undertook the

lowest proportion of work travel (22%, see Table A3).

Figure 3: Proportion of Driving for Personal/Work

71 64

85 86 81 7561

38

29 36

15 14 19 2539

62

Total Every Day Few times/week

Less often <3hrs 3-10 hrs 11-20 hrs >20hrs

Personal Work

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q1 What percentage of your weekly driving would you say is for work or personal reasons? For

the purposes of this survey, please include commuting to work as a ‘personal’ reason

For the remainder of the results contained in this report, respondents were asked to refer to personal

travel only.

1.3. Driving at Night

Figure 4 shows that the majority of respondents (67%) did very little or no driving between the hours of

10pm and 6am. The incidence of this has decreased significantly since the 2006 study (then 74%). Those

spending the least amount of time (under 10%) driving between 10pm and 6am were females aged 50

or over (79%), females aged 30 to 49 (77%), drivers in regional areas (77%), and males aged 50 or over

(76%, see Table A4). Spending less than 10% of time driving between 10pm and 6am was significantly

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lower amongst males aged 17 to 29 (33%). Spending more than 10% of time driving between 10am and

6pm increased significantly from 2006 (see Figure 5).

Figure 4: Proportion of Driving Done Between 10pm-6am, Total Comparisons for 2006, 2012

74

1016

67

1320

0%-9% 10%-19% More than 20%

2006 Total (n=1000) 2012 Total (n=1020)

%

Base: All survey respondents as shown. Q What percentage of your driving is done between 10pm and 6am?(2006 & 2012)

It follows that males were significantly more likely to indicate that a higher proportion of their driving

was done at night, with two fifths (40%) of males aged 17 to 29 indicating that more than 20% of their

driving was done between the hours of 10pm and 6am (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: Proportion of Driving Done Between 10pm-6am 2012

67

13

20

1

60

16

23

1

76

915

33

23

40

4

52

17

30

5

0%-9% 10%-19% More than 20% Don't know/Unsure

Total (n=1,002) Aged 17-49 (n=588) Aged 50+ (n=414)

Males 17-29 (n=75) Males 30-49 (n=169)

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q2 What percentage of your driving is done between 10pm and 6am?

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While night driving was not a specific area of exploration for the group discussions, it was referenced by

participants in relation to fatigue. Those who found themselves driving at night felt that they always

drove more cautiously and with greater concentration specifically because they felt there was greater

danger involved with night driving generally. As such they suggested that they were aware of the need

to be fully alert when driving at night and so took extra precautions when they had to do so.

Participants stated that the onset of a microsleep was more strongly associated with night time driving

than driving during the day - which then meant that any signs of fatigue were more likely to be

dismissed in the daytime.

“Maybe it’s because you know you’re meant to be sleeping at night, so you’re just more aware of

how you’re feeling, and you’ll do something about it” – Female, Family, Newcastle.

1.4. Short Trip Driving Behaviour

The incidence of having taken a short trip (defined in the survey as a trip less than 2 hours duration

within their home city/town) in the week prior to the survey was extremely high – with 95% of all

respondents indicating that they had taken at least one in that time period. Just over one in five (21%)

had taken one or two such trips, and more than half (51%) had taken three to ten within the week prior

to the study. Almost one quarter of all respondents (23%) had taken more than ten short trips within

the week (Figure 6).

Males aged 17 to 29 were the least likely to indicate that they hadn’t taken a short trip (8%) and the

most likely to have undertaken three to ten short trips (59%, see Table A5). Females aged 17 to 29 and

those aged 50 or over were more likely to have taken just one or two short trips (26% for each).

Figure 6: Number of Short Trips Taken in the Last Week

4

21

51

23

1

Did not make trip 1-2 times 3 to 10 More than 10 trips Don't know/unsure

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q3a In the last week, how many times did you drive on a short trip (less than 2 hours, within

your home city/town?)

It emerged from the group discussions that a ‘trip’ was seen to be a drive taken for a special occasion,

not day-to-day driving undertaken for things like a visit to the local shops or commuting to work. This

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suggests that the survey results shown above (Figure 6) may well underestimate the true extent of short

trip taking.

“A trip isn’t your regular drive. A trip is something you do with friends or family for pleasure” -

Male, Empty Nester, Wagga Wagga

“A trip to me is something I’d look forward to. I wouldn’t even think of my usual driving around

town in that way” – Male, Retiree, Sydney CBD

It followed that a short trip was thought of as something that was easily ‘doable’, generally requiring no

planning or preparation. The destination for a short trip was generally likely to already be known to the

driver, and so no real route planning was involved either.

“You just get in the car and go really” - Male, Single/Couple, Wagga Wagga

To this end many participants also felt that a short trip would be handled by a single driver, and without

the need for a formal stop for food or even a toilet break.

As shown in Figure 7, the vast majority of short trips were in fact undertaken without any stops. Even so,

almost one in five respondents (17%) had made at least one stop on their last short trip. While not

supported by the group discussions, male respondents aged 17 to 29 were the most likely to have

indicated that they took a break while on their last short trip (43%, see Table A6).

Figure 7: Average Number of Breaks –Most Recent Short Trip

81

16

1 1

None 1 to 3 More than 3 Don't know/unsure

%

Base: Survey respondents who had taken a short trip (n=945), Q3b On your most recent short trip, how many breaks from driving did

you take?

While the survey respondents were provided with a definition of a short trip (less than two hours, within

their home city/town), there was somewhat less agreement on the duration of a short trip amongst the

focus group participants. While a few participants referenced trips of half an hour or more, most tended

to think that a short trip was around one hour, and continued on to around three hours.

“To me it’s anything that I can do in one go without much hassle” – Male, Single, Sydney CBD

23


1.5. Long Trip Driving Behaviour

The survey respondents were provided with a definition of a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside their

home city/town), while in the mini-groups this aspect was open for discussion. There was considerably

more agreement amongst the participants of what a long trip was, compared to the relatively diverse

opinions that were expressed in relation to short trips. To most participants a long trip involved a degree

of preparation, and generally involved the need for a stop or rest along the way.

“A long trip isn’t as easy to do in one stint. You need to be prepared for them…. Well, depending

on how long they are really” – Male, Single/Couple, Wagga Wagga

In terms of duration, there was agreement in the mini-groups that a long trip continued on where a

short trip left off – that is, generally three hours or more.

“Well if a short trip is up to three hours I guess a long one is anything more than that” – Female,

Family, Newcastle

All survey respondents had undertaken at least one long trip (for personal reasons) within the past 12

months. While the overall distribution of trips made was similar to that measured in 2006 (see Figure 8),

the respondent base for 2012 on the whole reported a significantly greater number of long trips taken.

In fact, almost half of all respondents in 2012 (49%) indicated that they had taken three to ten long trips

within a 12 month period – compared to 37% in the 2006 study.

Figure 8: Number of Long Trips Taken in the Last 12 Months

16

3037

171522

49

14

Once Twice 3 to 10 More than 10

2006 (n=1000) 2012 (n=1002)

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q. Now thinking about the last 12 months, how many times did you drive on a long trip (more

than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town)?(2006 & 2012)

Males aged 30 to 49 had the highest incidence of taking between three and ten long trips in the 12

months prior to the 2012 study (58%, Figure 9). Males aged 50 or over, and respondents in regional

areas were the most likely to have undertaken more than ten long trips (18% and 20% respectively – see

24


Table A7). Females aged 50 years or over were the most likely to have only driven one long trip in the

last 12 months (21%). None of these figures were significantly different from the total.

Figure 9: Number of Long Trips Taken in the Last 12 Months – by Selected Segments

1522

49

1413

23

52

1317 20

46

1712

24

54

10917

58

16

Once Twice 3 to 10 More than 10

Total (n=1,002) Aged 17-49 (n=588) Aged 50+ (n=414) Males 17-29 (n=75) Males 30-49 (n=169)

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q4a Now thinking about the last 12 months, how many times did you drive on a long trip

(more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town)?

25


Break Locations

When choosing from a list of location types for taking breaks while on long trips, practical reasons

featured highly (Figure 10), with food and petrol accounting for a relatively large proportion of

responses - 42% had stopped specifically for food at a fast food or family restaurant; 40% stopped

specifically for petrol; and 34% for both food and petrol.

While not featuring at the top of the list, stops made specifically at rest locations were also mentioned –

with 23% stopping in a rest area, and 8% at a Driver Reviver site.

Regional drivers were less likely to stop at a fast food or family restaurant (35%, compared to 44% of

metropolitan based drivers), though they were significantly more likely to have used a rest area (30%,

compared to 20% of metropolitan drivers – see Table A9).

Figure 10: Common Break Locations - Most Recent Long Trip (Prompted)

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q4f On that long trip, which of the following places did you stop to take a break? (Prompted)

Reasons for Breaks

When asked why they stopped, the most common reason chosen by respondents from a list was the

need for a toilet break (66%, Figure 11), particularly for females (75% amongst respondents aged 50 or

over and 73% amongst those aged 30 to 49). Hunger and petrol were also toward the top of the list

mentioned by 53% and 41% of all respondents respectively.

A break from driving was a relatively common reason for stopping with many mentioning ‘the need to

stretch legs’ (56%), as well as ‘taking a break from staring at the road’ (36%), due to feeling ‘tired or

drowsy’ (34%), ‘starting to lose concentration’ (22%), ‘seeing a rest area’ (17%), and seeing a ‘Stop.

26


Revive. Survive’ sign (13%). Males aged 30 to 49 were the most likely to mention these reasons for their

stops (see Table A10).

Figure 11: Common Reasons for Taking a Break - Long Trip (Prompted)

66

56

53

41

36

34

24

22

19

17

15

13

7

2

Need toilet\bathroom break

Need to stretch legs

Hungry\thirsty

Need petrol

Need to take a break from staring at the road\refresh eyes

Feel tired\drowsy

Passenger requests a break

Start to lose concentration

Reach a town\pleasant area

See a rest area

Young children in the car

See a Stop.Revive.Survive sign

Reach a set journey time\ number of kms

None of the above %

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q5 Thinking about driving on a long trip, what prompts you to take a break? (Prompted)

Indeed, the main reasons for stopping mentioned in the mini groups were generally similar to the survey

results, with participants indicating that they primarily stopped for:

Food;

A toilet break;

To get petrol;

To swap drivers; or

If they were getting tired.

Their reasons were most likely to be what they saw as the practical ‘necessities’ (food, toilet and petrol)

as opposed to any real desire to remain fresh and awake while driving. In some of the discussions

aspects such as wanting to swap drivers only appeared after more probing on the issue had taken place.

Even so, some of the younger participants did indicate that they would also stop if/when they felt the

need to do so due to tiredness, restlessness and boredom.

27


“I‘ve stopped on the side of the road for a power nap, after a big night” – Male, Single, Sydney

CBD

Trip Planning

While there were frequent suggestions in the mini-groups that a long trip required some forethought

and trip preparation, this preparation did not tend to involve formalised route selection and pre-

planning of potential stops or breaks along the way. Instead, planning tended to involve:

Checking the condition of the car

With the exception of the young females, many participants indicated that they would make

sure that their car was capable of the trip before setting out. This would generally involve at a

minimum making sure that the petrol tank was full, but for many it also involved checking the

oil and water in the car, as well as checking the tyre pressure.

“Some things, like checking the tyre pressure, are just routine to me. Safety is an important

aspect in taking a trip of any real distance” – Male, Retiree, Sydney CBD

Planning when to leave

This aspect was seen to differ by both age and gender. The younger male participants indicated

that they were likely to set off when they woke up - which could be mid to late morning, whilst

the older participants tended to suggest that they specifically planned when they wanted to

leave – either to ‘beat’ the peak hour traffic getting out of the city, or to coincide with their

desired arrival time at their destination.

“You certainly need to know what the best time is to leave Sydney, or you end up adding extra

time being stuck in traffic” – Male, Family, Parramatta

Getting rest before the trip

While not something undertaken by all, those in the mid to older age groups indicated that they

were quite aware of the need to be well rested prior to a long trip, and as such they took steps

to ensure that they had a good sleep prior to their planned departure (which would generally

happen in the morning).

“You need a good sleep to be able to go the distance” – Female, Family, Newcastle

Not drinking the night before departure

Along similar lines to the idea of getting a good nights sleep, some participants refrained from

drinking alcohol the night before they took a trip. While this certainly did include some of the

younger female participants, it too appeared to be more prevalent amongst those in the mid to

older age groups.

28


“Even if you’re under the limit, you can still feel crook if you’ve had a few drinks, and you don’t

want that if you’re gunna be driving for a while” - Female, Single/Couple, Parramatta

Eating well beforehand

Some of the older participants also felt it was important to plan a good meal before departing

on a long driving trip. Not only did this prepare them for the driving task, but it was also seen to

minimise the need to stop soon after departing.

“Nothing worse than having to stop soon after setting off so that you can get your breakfast. It

just puts you behind” – Male, Empty Nester, Wagga Wagga

Ensuring that children will be kept entertained

Those with children indicated that it was important for them to prepare some sort of

entertainment for their children to keep them amused throughout the journey – including

DVDs, music, puzzles and games.

“If you’re well prepared you can cut out some of the ‘are we there yets?’” – Male, Family, Sydney

CBD

Purchasing snacks and drinks for the trip

Almost all participants indicated that they prepared some sort of food and/or drink for their

long car trips. For the families and older participants this included soft drinks and water as well

as lollies and sometimes sandwiches.

“You always need lollies on hand, but I will also pack a few drinks and the odd sandwich if it’s a

decent trip” – Female, Family, Newcastle

Consuming caffeine

The younger participants (of both genders) were also likely to mention sugary snacks, but their

preparation was more likely to involve the inclusion of energy drinks or other known caffeine

sources that they felt would assist with reducing fatigue.

“I’d have a Red Bull before I left, and then take another one or two with me” – Female,

Single/Couple, Parramatta

Undertaking basic route investigations

With the exception of the older drivers, few were going to the extent of pre-planning stops,

though quite a few did rudimentary trip planning by determining the overall trip time and

distance involved.

29


“You need to at least know how long it will take you to get from A to B” - Male, Single/Couple,

Newcastle.

While the incidence of pre-planning breaks/stops appeared to be minimal amongst the mini group

participants, some, particularly in the older groups, did take the time prior to departing to think about

and plan where they would stop.

These older (and more experienced) drivers were more likely to have favourite stop locations, and may

actually plan their trip around such locations in order to make the trip an enjoyable part of their overall

outing.

“If I’m going down South, I always stop at the pie shop in Robertson” – Male, Family, Parramatta

“You get to know where’s worth stopping, and where to avoid” – Male, Retiree, Sydney CBD

Some also planned their stops around meal times, and so calculated likely stops based on their

departure time.

“If you’re going to stop for morning tea and then lunch you get to break the trip up, and you’ll

know approximately where you’re meant to be at those times of day, so you know before you

leave where you’re likely to stop” – Male, Family, Parramatta

A few also went to the trouble of printing out their trip route and had also pre-selected potential places

to stop. This was more likely to occur when they didn’t know the destination very well, and so didn’t

know what their options would be in terms of where to stop.

“When we drove to Bendigo a few months back I checked out the route and printed off a few

suggestions of places to stay along the way” – Male, Empty Nester, Wagga Wagga

In comparison, the younger participants (particularly males) were considerably less likely to undertake

any such planning. Instead, they were likely to make their decisions when on the move, and this mindset

tended to have a basis on a desire for them to lead a relaxed and spontaneous lifestyle. They expressed

a desire for things to be unplanned – suggesting that trips of this nature tended to add to the overall

sense of adventure.

“I like to play it by ear” – Male, Single, Sydney CBD

“I just get going when I wake up and feel like it”- Male, Single, Sydney CBD

As such, given that stops were unlikely to be pre-planned amongst this age group, they were unlikely to

stop until they felt the need to do so for a specific reason - be that for food, petrol, or a toilet break.

“You just stop when you’re hungry. When you’re near a Maccas” – Male, Single, Sydney CBD

30


Planning to Avoid Fatigue

When asked what drivers had done before a journey to avoid driving fatigued, the vast majority of

respondents said unprompted that they had ensured that they ‘had a good night’s sleep’ (72%, Figure

12).

Other avoidance tactics mentioned less frequently were ‘having a decent meal’ (18%) and ‘drinking

coffee/energy drinks’ (16%). A minority of drivers also spoke of ‘planning the trip’ (9%), ‘drinking plenty

of water’ (7%) and ‘making sure they had music’ (5%) as preparation strategies to avoid fatigue.

Males aged 17-29 years were less likely to prepare themselves by ‘having a good night’s sleep’ (57%)

than the other age groups, however were more likely to rely on ‘drinking coffee/energy drinks’ before

setting off (20%) as were the 17-29 year old females (30%, see Table A29).

Figure 12: Fatigue Avoidance Strategies - Pre-journey (Unprompted)

72

18

16

9

7

5

5

4

3

3

2

5

Had a good nights sleep

Had a decent meal

Drink coffee \ energy drinks

Planned the trip

Drink plenty of water

Made sure I had music \ I could get to easily

Nothing

Have a shower \ bath

Have a big stretch \ exercise

Had 2 drivers \ organised drivers

Drink no alcohol

Dont know %

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q18. What sorts of things have you done before you started your journey in order to avoid driver fatigue? (Unprompted)

Limiting the Impact of Fatigue

Respondents were also asked to indicate what types of things they had done during their trips to avoid

driver fatigue. The most frequently mentioned strategy by over half of the drivers surveyed was having

a ‘break/stop/rest’ (51%, up from 43% in the 2006 study, Figure 13).

The next most common tactic to help avoid driver fatigue during the journey was ‘listening to the radio

or music’ (25%, down slightly from 29% in the 2006 study), followed by ‘talking to other passengers’

31


(17%, compared to 16% in the 2006 study), then ‘drinking coffee/caffeine’ (13%, compared to 20% in

2006).

During the journey there was a marked difference in the tactics being employed by drivers to combat

fatigue. Older male drivers over 50 years were more likely to ‘break/stop/rest’ (69%), whilst younger

females 17-29 years were more likely to ‘listen to the radio’ (46%) or ‘talk to other passengers’ (26%, see

Table A29).

Figure 13: Fatigue Avoidance Strategies - During Journey (Unprompted) 2012

51

25

17

13

12

11

10

9

7

6

4

4

Had a break \ stopped \ rest

Listen to radio or music

Talk to passengers

Drunk coffee \ caffeine

Walk around \ stretch

Put the windows down

Eaten a meal

Drink lots of water

Swap drivers

Sing \ to myself

Dont know

Nothing%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q19. What sorts of things have you done during your trip to help you avoid driver fatigue? (Unprompted)

32


2. Attitudes Toward Driver Fatigue

2.1. Perceptions of Driving When Fatigued

The majority of group participants appeared to have a good grasp of the term ‘fatigue’ and what it

meant. While most participants also indicated that they were relatively familiar with the term ‘driver

fatigue’, they suggested that it wasn’t necessarily something that had worked its way into everyday

speech. They indicated that the more commonly used term was simply ‘feeling tired’, which ultimately

was felt to have the same meaning as ‘fatigued’.

“You don’t go around saying, I feel fatigued” – Male, Single, Sydney CBD

Nonetheless the concept of driver fatigue was well known as a potential danger to drivers. All

participants indicated that they were aware of at least some of the main signs of driver fatigue – though

they clearly only associated the term with long trips (as opposed to short trips).

In the survey, perceptions of driving when fatigue were assessed through a relatively large battery of

attitudinal statements, which were grouped in the analysis process into three mind-sets - namely Denial,

Compliance and Compromise. The Denial factors were those more at the extreme end of negative

attitudes toward driver fatigue and avoidance behaviours, the Compliance factors were the statements

displaying positive attitudes and behaviour toward driver fatigue, and the Compromise factors were the

mid ranging attitudinal statements that were not at either the extreme negative or positive end of the

attitudinal spectrum.

In terms of Denial Factors, there was strongest agreement overall with the attitudinal statement ‘if

other people are in the car I’m more likely to stop’, with 63% agreeing (strongly 25% combined with

slightly 38%) with this statement (Figure 14). Around two fifths of all respondents also agreed that

‘when tired on a long trip I try to make it to the next town before stopping’ and ‘if I’m within an hour of

home and I feel tired, I won’t take a break and will just push on to get there’ (40% and 38%

respectively).

Around a quarter of all respondents also agreed that ‘when I have to get somewhere by a certain time, I

know I can keep driving on a long trip without stopping’, ‘I wouldn’t consider stopping on a short trip,

even if I felt tired’, and ‘I get frustrated driving on a long trip if I have to stop before I really need to’.

With the exception of the statement ‘if other people are in the car I’m more likely to stop’, young males

aged 17-29 years were more likely to agree with each of the Denial factor statements, while males aged

50 or over were less likely to agree with them (Table A11). So too, the young female respondents (aged

17-29 years) were also more likely to agree with the Denial statements, while the females aged 50 or

over were less likely to agree.

Metropolitan respondents were also more likely than the regional respondents to agree with each of

the Denial statements.

33


Figure 14: Perceptions of Driving When Fatigued –The Denial Related Factors

25

6

6

8

5

6

5

38

34

32

25

20

19

19

21

16

18

15

17

15

17

10

26

27

31

30

39

32

6

17

16

20

27

22

26

If other people are in the car I’m more likely to stop

When tired on a long trip, I try to make it to the nexttown before stopping

If I ’m within an hour of home and I feel tired, I won’t take a break and will just ‘push on’ to get there

On a long trip I try to have as few stops as possible

When I have to get somewhere by a certain time, Iknow I can keep driving on a long trip without

stopping

I wouldn’t consider stopping on a short trip, even if I fel t tired

I get frustrated driving on a long trip if I have to stopbefore I really need to

Strongly Agree Slightly Agree Neither Slightly Disagree Strongly Disagree

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q8. We are now going to show you some statements that other drivers have made about driving. Please show how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements when thinking about your own driving.

34


The Compliance factor statements gained the greatest agreement overall amongst respondents,

however the statements with comparatively lower agreement were those that referred to regularly

using rest areas to take breaks and planning where to stop for breaks on long trips.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the majority (93%) agreed (strongly or slightly) that they are responsible

drivers, and a similar proportion agreed that it is dangerous to ignore the early warning signs of driver

fatigue (90% agreed strongly or slightly, Figure 15).

Younger males (aged 17-29 years) had the lowest level of agreement on all of the Compliance

statements. In particular, younger males did not agree as readily that ‘it is dangerous for the average

driver to ignore the early warning signs of driver fatigue’ (67%, versus 90% for the total) or that ‘its

dangerous for them to ignore the early warning signs’ (66%, versus 88% for the total), or that they

‘would be prepared to miss out on something they like in order to get a good night’s sleep’ (55%, versus

74% for the total, see Table A11).

With the exception of the statement ‘it is dangerous for me to ignore the early warning signs of driver

fatigue’, the young female respondents (aged 17-29 years) were less likely to agree with any of the

Compliance statements, while the females aged 50 or over were more likely to do so for each of these

statements.

Figure 15: Perceptions of Driving When Fatigued –The Compliance Related Factors

63

58

51

47

45

36

35

25

23

30

32

37

36

35

40

40

39

38

5

5

6

12

10

11

12

15

17

1

2

4

5

8

10

11

17

17

3

2

1

1

3

2

4

5

I am a responsible driver

It is dangerous for the average driver to ignore theearly warning signs of driver fatigue

It is dangerous for me to ignore the early warningsigns of driver fatigue

I a lways make sure I get a good night’s sleep before

starting on a long trip

I wouldn’t start a long trip unless I was well rested

When I feel really tired on a short trip I would beprepared to pull over

I would be prepared to miss out on doingsomething I like in order to get a good night's sleep

I plan where I will stop for breaks on a long trip

I regularly use rest areas to take a break

Strongly Agree Slightly Agree Neither Slightly Disagree Strongly Disagree

%B

ase: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q8. We are now going to show you some statements that other drivers have made about driving. Please show how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements when thinking about your own driving.

35


There was relatively low agreement with most of the attitudinal statements where Compromise was

evident. While 37% agreed that they ‘experience driver fatigue on short trips as well as long trips’, the

remaining statements obtained considerably lower agreement (22% or less agreed strongly or slightly).

The highest level of disagreement was recorded for statements such as ‘driving when I am tired is not

really dangerous’; ‘being tired doesn’t change my ability to drive’; and ‘I don’t believe I will crash if I

drive when I am tired’ (Figure 16).

Older males (aged 50 or over) were less likely to agree that they ‘experience driver fatigue on short trips

as well as long trips’ (28% versus the average of 37%). Both male and female young drivers (aged 17-

29), were more likely to agree that their ‘driving is not affected by missing a few hours’ sleep the night

before’; and that they’d ‘prefer to keep going even if they were tired than stop for a break’. ‘Family’

males (aged 30-49 years) more often agreed that they’d ‘rather have a coffee/energy drink than stop

for a break’ (26%); and younger males more often agreed that ‘being tired doesn’t change my ability to

drive’ (26%) and ‘driving when I am tired is not really dangerous’ (20%, see Table A11).

Figure 16: Perceptions of Driving When Fatigued – The Compromise Related Factors


36


In looking at the differences over time it should be noted that in 2001 only drivers who indicated they

had experienced fatigue on a long trip were asked to respond to these statements, which may account

for the higher overall agreement levels for that year (see Figure 17).

Even so, significant differences in agreement were apparent between 2006 and 2012. Positively, there

was a significant increase in the proportion of respondents who agreed that they would be prepared to

pull over on a short trip if they felt tired (up from 67% in 2006 to 76% in 2012). Another positive

outcome was the significant decrease in the proportion who agreed that they would continue driving

when fatigued if they were only an hour from home (down from 43% in 2006 to 38% in 2012).

However, there was also a significant increase in the proportion of respondents who agreed that they

would try and stop as few times as possible (up from 27% in 2006 to 33% in 2012).

Figure 17: Perceptions of Driving When Fatigued – Comparing NET Agreement for 2001, 2006, 2012

48

75

30

50

66

43

67

27

43

58

40

76

3338

61

When I am feeling tiredon a long trip I alwaystry to make it to thenext town to have abreak, rather than

stopping by the road

When I feel really tiredon a short trip I would

be prepared to pullover

On a long trip I try tohave as few stops as

possible

When driving andfeeling tired or fatigued

but within an hour ofhome I keep driving to

get home

I regularly use restareas to take a break

2001 2006 2012

%

Base: All survey respondents (2012 n=1002) Q. We are now going to show you some statements that other drivers have made about

driving. Please show how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements when thinking about your own driving.(2001,

2006 & 2012)

37


The Seriousness of Driver Fatigue

In terms of the perceived seriousness of driver fatigue as an issue, Figure 18, shows the percentage of

respondents who rated each driving factor as extremely serious, i.e. a 9 or 10 out of 10 in terms of its

seriousness in causing death and serious injury on NSW roads. Drink driving was rated most frequently

as extremely serious (86%), followed by driver fatigue (75%) and speeding (73%). Not wearing a seatbelt

was not rated as serious as the other factors assessed (67%). Comparing the results against previous

studies, driver fatigue has continued to increase significantly in each study, in terms of its perceived

seriousness.

The younger males (aged 17-29 years) consistently rated all of these factors lower in terms of perceived

seriousness, than their older and female counterparts (see Table A12). Driver fatigue, speeding and not

wearing a seatbelt, were felt to be equally serious amongst this young male sub-group (45%, 42% and

43% respectively).

Figure 18: Seriousness Perceptions of Driving Factors – Proportion of Respondents who gave a Score of 9-10 out of 10

75

47

66

39

89

63 61 60

86

75 7367

Drink Driving Driver Fatigue Speeding Not wearing a seatbelt

2001 (Score 9-10) 2006 (Score 9-10) 2012 (Score 9-10)

%

Base: All survey respondents (2012 n=1002). Q. There are four factors which have a major influence on death and serious injury on

NSW roads. Using the slider below, where 0 is not at all serious and 10 is extremely serious; please show how serious you believe the

following factors to be on death and serious injury on NSW roads (2001, 2006 & 2012)

Similarly, when asked to indicate which behaviours they considered to be morally wrong, driving with an illegal blood alcohol level was selected most often (86%), followed by using a hand held mobile (67%) then driving after being awake for 17 hours (63%). The perception that driving after being awake for 17 hours is morally wrong has increased gradually over time (by 9 percentage points over 11 years).

The proportion that suggested that drink driving is morally wrong fell significantly from 97% to 86% over the past six year period (Figure 19). However, the definition used in both previous studies was ‘driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.06’ which may have been a factor in the reduction.

38


Driving after being awake for 17 hours was less likely to be considered ‘morally wrong’ by young females aged 17-29 years (49% versus 63% for the total). Using a hand held mobile phone was also felt to be morally wrong more often than driving after being awake for 17 hours amongst this sub-group (59%, versus 49%, see Table A13).

Figure 19: Perceptions of Specific Behaviours - Morally Wrong

78

54

41

97

5653

86

6367

44

Driving with an illegal (BAC)level of 0.05*

Driving after being awake for17 hours

Using a hand held mobilephone

Driving at 70km/h in a 60speed zone

2001 2006 2012

New

code in 2012

%

Base: All survey respondents (2012 n=1002) Q. Which, if any, of these driving behaviours do you believe are morally wrong?(2001, 2006 & 2012)

* NOTE: A BAC of 0.06 was measured in previous years.

In being asked to rank different driving behaviours in terms of how dangerous they were seen to be, half

the sample ranked driving with an illegal blood alcohol level as the most dangerous of the behaviours

evaluated. Driving after being awake for 17 hours was ranked as the most dangerous by just over one

third of respondents (36%, see Figure 20).

There were no significant differences amongst the sub-groups on this issue, with the exception that

younger drivers (both males and females) were less likely to indicate that talking on the phone while

driving was the most dangerous behaviour (see Table A14).

39


Figure 20: Perceptions of Specific Behaviours - Most Dangerous

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q7b. Please indicate how dangerous you find each of the following driving behaviours by

ranking them from 1 to 4 – where 1 is the most dangerous, and 4 is the least dangerous of the behaviours presented.

When exploring perceptions of driver fatigue in the group discussions, most participants initially claimed

that fatigue was a major issue, and one that was of some concern to them. In fact, many claimed that

driver fatigue was just as important as other driving related issues such as speeding and drink-driving.

However, on further exploration of the issue, and after much further probing, it became evident that

while fatigue may be seen to be important in overall terms, it did not necessarily equate with other

driving issues.

“If someone was tired I would still let them drive and I’d keep a close eye on them, but I wouldn’t

get into a car with someone who had been drinking and keep a close eye on them” – Male,

Single/Couple, Wagga Wagga

One of the most common explanations for the difference in perception between fatigue and other

driving issues, was seen to be due to the way ‘the law’ treats these issues. Participants indicated that

the importance of other driving issues was reinforced through rules, regulation, and enforcement – and

this was not seen to be the case with fatigue.

“You lose points and you lose money if you speed. They can’t really do anything about you being

tired” – Female, Single/Couple, Parramatta

Another reason for the difference was the perception that fatigue is not as commonly mentioned in the

media. Participants felt that major crashes/incidents were often reported in the press, and while they

Driving after being awake for 17 hours

Driving with an illegal (BAC) of 0.05

Driving at 70km/h in a 60 speed zone

Talking on phone while driving

40


felt that there must be incidences where fatigue was referenced, they had stronger recall of reports of

speed and alcohol related crashes and fatalities.

“I don’t know. I’m trying to think of something I’ve seen that was specifically about fatigue. I can

picture crashes with cars wrapped around poles due to speeding, and people getting caught with

ridiculously high alcohol levels, but I can’t remember anything that was showing a crash caused

by fatigue” – Female, Family, Newcastle

There was also a feeling expressed that there were a significant number of roadside reminders (such as

wreaths/crosses, and skid marks leading off the road) that they tended to attribute to speed. While

some reasoned that some of these incidents may have been a result of fatigue, they were more likely to

automatically think of speed when they saw them. They did, however, feel that the presence of roadside

Driver Reviver sites acted as a reminder of the issue of fatigue.

“Approaching a rest area, or a reviver stop you make a conscious assessment of how you’re

feeling and whether or not you need to stop” – Male, Empty Nester, Wagga Wagga

Advertising was another main reminder of the issue of fatigue. While the majority of group participants

appeared to be aware of at least some form of public education campaign, awareness of the current

campaign was low. While there was also not prominent recall of other messaging, participants made

reference to a number of different campaigns such as:

Dr Karl and Microsleeps;

The Dr Owler advertising;

The line “Don’t die for a deadline”; and

The ‘Kombi Van’ ad.

Of these, recall of the Dr Karl campaign was the strongest – particularly amongst the younger males. He

was considered to be somewhat of a spokesperson for the issue and was highly regarded, although he

was recognized as being less prominent (in relation to driver fatigue) in recent times.

41


2.2. The Perceived Importance of Driving Techniques

When asked about safe driving techniques, those which gained the greatest level of importance

amongst respondents were ‘keeping below the legal blood alcohol limit’ (90% rated it of high

importance); ‘if feeling tired, pulling over and resting or swapping drivers’ (85%), and ‘maintaining a safe

following distance from the vehicle in front’ (84%, see Figure 21). Only 64% rated ‘never start a trip if

you’re already feeling tired’ as high importance.

Overall, younger male drivers (aged 17-29 years), rated all of the factors significantly lower in terms of

importance, than the total respondent base (Table A16). Young males also rated ‘if feeling tired when

driving, pull over and rest or swap driving’ on par with ‘not using a mobile phone when driving’ (56%

versus 55% respectively).

Figure 21: Importance of Safe Driving Techniques

90

85

84

81

78

68

67

9

14

16

17

21

29

28

1

1

1

2

2

3

5

Keep below the legal blood alcohol (BAC) l imit, and if in doubt don’t drive

If feeling tired when driving,pull over and rest or swap drivers

Maintain a safe following distancefrom the vehicle in front

Not using a mobile phonewhen driving

Pay particular care on theroads during holiday periods

Never start a trip if you’re already feeling tired

Always travel at or below the speed limit

High Importance (Score 8-10) Mid (Score 4-7) Low Importance (Score 0-3)

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q6. How important do you feel it is for you to do the following when driving? (Where 0 is not

at all important and 10 is extremely important).

2.3. Perceived Dangers of various Situations that Could Result in Driver Fatigue

The majority of respondents indicated from a list of statements that ‘starting the trip with sleep debt’

(63%), ‘not taking a break from driving when feeling tired’ (54%) and ‘driving for 6 hours non-stop’ (60%)

were ‘very dangerous’ when taking a long trip of two hours or more (Figure 22).

42


‘Driving at a time when you would normally be sleeping’ (42%), ‘not having regular breaks’ (36%), and

‘beginning a trip after work’ (35%) were seen to be ‘very dangerous’ by over a third of drivers, whilst a

further third or so rated these situations as ‘dangerous’.

‘Beginning a trip very early in the morning’ and ‘driving during the daytime when likely to be sleepy’

were more likely to be considered to be ‘not very dangerous’ (49% and 42% respectively) or ‘not at all

dangerous’ (21% and 6% respectively).

Potentially as a result of their sense of invincibility (as revealed in the mini groups), overall younger male

respondents (17-29 years), were less likely to perceive the listed situations as dangerous, particularly

when it came to ‘driving after working all day’ (49% considered it dangerous), or ‘driving during the

daytime when likely to be sleepy’ (40%). However, they were more likely to see ‘beginning a trip early in

the morning’ as more dangerous than other age groups (41%, see Table A30), which is in-line with their

reported propensity not to pre-prepare, and therefore not get a good night sleep (as revealed in the

mini groups).

Figure 22: Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip

63

54

60

36

42

35

12

8

28

37

28

47

38

41

37

20

4

4

8

13

16

19

42

49

1

1

1

1

1

2

6

21

4

4

4

3

4

3

3

3

Starting the trip with sleep debt (a lack of sleepbuilt up over a number of days)

Not taking a break from driving if feeling tired

Driving for six hours non-stop

Not having regular breaks

Driving at a time when you would normally besleeping

Beginning the trip after working all day

Driving during the daytime when likely to besleepy (e.g. after lunch, at dawn)

Beginning the trip very early in the morning

Very dangerous Dangerous Not very dangerous Not at all dangerous Don't know

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q20. If you had to take a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town), how dangerous do you think each of the following situations would be?

43


After a significant decrease across all comparable perceived dangers from 2001 to 2006, there were only

slight changes in 2012. ‘Not having regular breaks’ and ‘Driving for six hours non-stop’ both increased

significantly over the six year period (Figure 23).

Figure 23: Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip (Comparing NET Dangerous for 2001, 2006, 2012)

8883

8076

85

61

8080

92

8084

92


Not having regular breaksDriving at a time when youwould normally be sleeping

Beginning the trip afterworking all day

2012 (n=1002) 2006 (n=1000) 2001 (n=1000)

%

Base: All survey respondents as shown in key. Q. If you had to take a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town),

how dangerous do you think each of the following situations would be? (2001, 2006 & 2012) (Not all statements shown as not all

were asked for each year). NET Dangerous = ‘Very dangerous’ and ‘Dangerous’

2.4. Driver Behaviour Index

The survey measured a number of self-reported driver behaviours that were related to driver fatigue. In

2006, a single summary measure of various behavioural questions was developed that reflected each

individual’s claimed behaviours in relation to preventing driver fatigue, and the same base questions

were incorporated in the 2012 study to allow for the Driver Behaviour Index to be reproduced. As was

done in 2006, the Driver Behaviour Index that resulted was then divided into three approximately equal

size groups (see Appendix 5 for details).

The areas that the Driver Behaviour Index covers includes:

self-reported driving when tired,

reactions to driver fatigue warning signs when driving,

44


preventative measures taken before driving and while driving, and

usual behaviours while driving.

These measures were combined into a single score out of 100 measuring the degree to which drivers

engaged in negative behaviours with regard to driver fatigue. The higher the score the more likely a

driver was to engage in risky behaviours and the less likely they were to take steps to prevent fatigue.

The score average was 53 (SD = 13.4) and ranged from 23 to 94. The Driver Behaviour Index has been

used to stratify drivers into three equal sized groups - positive behaviours, average, and negative

behaviours.

As shown in Figure 24, respondents aged 17-49 years exhibited negative behaviour significantly more

often (44%) compared to respondents aged over 50 years who exhibited significantly less (15%).

Younger males (aged 17-29) and those in the mid age category (30-49) were significantly more likely to

exhibit negative behaviour on this index, but those aged 50 or over were more likely to exhibit positive

behaviour (49%).

Similarly, amongst the female respondents (Table A15), the younger respondents had the highest

proportion of negative behaviour (57%), while those aged 50 or over had the lowest proportion (10%).

The respondents in metropolitan areas also indicated a higher proportion of negative behaviours than

the regional drivers (35% and 25% respectively).

Figure 24: Driver Behaviour Index

3523

51

20 22

33

33

34

35 33

3244

15

45 45

Total(n=1,002)

Aged 17-49(n=588)

Aged 50+(n=414)

Males17-29(n=76)

Males30-49

(n=169)

NegativeBehaviour

AverageBehaviour

Positive Behaviour

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002)

45


3. Personal Experiences with Driver Fatigue

3.1. Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue

The incidence of reporting driving while fatigued has dropped considerably since 2006. Six years ago the

proportion of NSW drivers who claimed to have driven when feeling ‘quite tired’ was 40% during a short

trip, and 43% during a long trip. This year those figures dropped to 34% and 35% respectively (see

Figure 25).

The incidence of having driven fatigued during a long trip in the last 12 months was highest amongst

17-29 year old females (52%) and lowest amongst female drivers over 50 years (19%, see Table A17).

Males aged 30-49, and those aged 17-29 were more likely to have experienced fatigue on a long trip

(48% and 41% respectively).

Figure 25: Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue

6662

40 42

60

34 35

52

Short Trip Long Trip NET Short and Long Trip

2001 (n=1000) 2006 (n=1000) 2012 (n=1002)

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q.Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside

of town) where you’ve felt quite tired? Q10a.Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a short trip (less than 2 hours,

within your home city/town) where you’ve felt quite tired?(2006 & 2012) *NET given for 2001 as only asked ‘if ever’ or ‘on a long trip’

The mini group participants were quite open to discussing their near misses that resulted from driver

fatigue, and in the survey over one in ten drivers (13%) admitted to having crashed or almost crashed

due to fatigue while driving (compared to 7% in the 2006 study, Figure 26). The reported incidence of

fatigue related crashes or near crashes was highest amongst males both 17-29 years (16%) and 30-49

years (18%, see Table A33).

A slight wording change in 2006 meant that respondents were only asked whether they had experienced

an ‘accident or crash’ due to fatigue, whereas in 2001 and 2012 both ‘near miss’ and ‘crash’ due to

fatigue were asked (separately in 2001 and as one question in 2012). This could account for the

*not asked in 2001

46


significantly lower incidence rate recorded for 2006. The incidence of fatigue causing a crash/near miss

in 2012 is still significantly lower than the recorded rate in 2001.

Figure 26: Total Incidence of Fatigue Causing Crash/Almost Crash Comparing 2001, 2006, 2012

17

713

2001 (n=1000) 2006(n=1000)

2012 (n=1002)

%

Base: All survey respondents as shown. Q (2006) Have you ever had an accident/crash because of your own tiredness or fatigue while driving? Q(2001/2012) Have you ever had a crash or almost crashed because of your own fatigue while driving?

The reported time that had elapsed since the last fatigue related incident was typically over 5 years ago,

with 20% of drivers claiming it was 5 -10 years ago and a further 30% of respondents reporting it to have

been more than 10 years ago (see Figure 27).

However, 15% of drivers claimed that their fatigue related incident was less than a year ago, with this

being highest amongst females aged 17-29 (31% were less than a year ago) and males 17-29 years old

(24% less than a year ago, see table A34).

Figure 27: Time Since Crash/Almost Crash

6 914 17 20

30

2

< 6 months ago 6 months - 1year

1 - 2 years 2 - 5years

5 - 10years

> 10 years ago Don't know/unsure

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q22a. Thinking about the most recent time you had a crash/almost crashed because of fatigue, how long ago was this?

The mini group participants were recruited on the basis that they had reported feeling tired when

driving on a long trip in the last 6 months, so it was not surprising that they were generally open about

47


their own driving experiences with fatigue and (for some) the minor incidents that had resulted from

this. Drivers openly discussed how much of a scare they had had due to their fatigue related experience,

particularly if it had been a microsleep.

“I’ll admit that I’ve found myself getting really drowsy sometimes. You know, when you find

yourself nodding off for a fraction of a second” – Male, Single/Couple, Newcastle

“I get bored with driving, and I can feel tired even driving to work” – Male, Family, Parramatta

After experiencing a fatigue related incident, participants indicated that they were now more aware of

the issue and more likely to take action when they noticed they were experiencing fatigue related

symptoms. However, even though some of the younger drivers admitted to experiencing severe fatigue

symptoms, they were still reluctant to alter their behaviour as a result.

“I actually had a bit of a crash because I was falling asleep at the wheel, but that was a one-off”

– Female, Single/Couple, Parramatta

The younger drivers were more likely to indicate that they were quite happy to drive while a bit tired.

However, some also indicated that they found it difficult to know exactly at what level the tiredness

became an issue.

“I work hard and I’m always tired. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to drive. It’s just part of life.

But maybe there’s a point where it’s worse than normal. I’m not sure” – Male, Single/Couple,

Wagga Wagga

Another interesting aspect raised by the mini group participants was that the incidents and near misses

due to fatigue were often not discussed or admitted to amongst their family or friends. As a result they

indicated that any word of mouth component to demonstrate how widespread fatigue experiences are,

was quite low.

“Someone might say that a drive to Melbourne was a bit tough, but they’re not going to say that

they nearly nodded off and needed to stop” – Male, Family, Parramatta

Frequency of Experiencing Driver Fatigue

Almost one in ten respondents who had indicated that they felt a bit tired on long trip went on to reveal

that this occurred ‘very often’ or ‘often’ (see Figure 28), with this being more prevalent amongst males

30-49 years (15%) and females over 50 years (16%, see Table A18)

Over 45% of those who admitted to feeling tired indicated that they experienced fatigue ‘sometimes’

whilst driving, and over 40% claimed they only felt tired on long trips whilst driving ‘rarely’ or ‘very

rarely’.

48


Figure 28: Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue - Long Trips

1

2

9

9

10

12

46

46

44

45

31

32

29

30

13

12

15

13

Total(n=353)

Aged 17-49(n=247)

Aged 50+(n=106)

Males 17-49 (n=113)

Very Often Often Sometimes Rarely Very Rarely

%

Base: Survey respondents who felt tired on a long trip (n=353) Q9b. How often does this happen on a long trip?

The incidence of experiencing fatigue was generally lower on short trips than long trips. Only around 5%

of drivers who had previously indicated that they had felt tired while driving indicated that this occurred

‘very often’ (1% Figure 29) or ‘often’ (5%) while on short trips.

The majority indicated that they ‘rarely’ (38%) or ‘very rarely’ (23%) felt tired while driving on short

trips.

Figure 29: Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue - Short Trips

1

1

1

5

5

3

5

34

31

40

30

38

42

27

43

23

20

29

21

Total(n=339)

Aged 17-49(n=244)

Aged 50+(n=95)

Males 17-49 (n=96)

Very Often Often Sometimes Rarely Very Rarely

%

Base: Survey respondents who felt tired on a short trip (n=339) Q10b. How often does this happen on a short trip?

49


Time of Day of Driver Fatigue Experiences

The peak time for experiencing driver fatigue was in the afternoon in the case of both long (33%) and

short trips (24%, Figure 30). The next most common time mentioned by drivers for feeling tired while

driving was early in the morning for shorter trips (19%), but dusk/twilight (18%) or evening (17%) in the

case of long trips.

Young male drivers 17-29 years were more likely than the total respondent base to say they experienced

fatigue in the morning (9am-12noon). Given that they reported a lower frequency of driving at night

(Table A4), it is not surprising that females aged 50 or over were more likely to be fatigued between

12noon and 4pm (44%, see Table A18).

Figure 30: Experiences of Fatigue by Time of Day

19

9

2417

1710

39

13

33

18

16

6

4

Early in themorning

(6am-9am)

Morning(9am-12 noon)

Afternoon(12 noon-4pm)

Dusk\Twilight(4pm-8pm)

Evening(8pm-midnight)

Night(midnight-6am)

Don’t know\unsure

Short Trips (n=339) Long Trips (n=353)

%

Base: Survey respondents who experienced driver fatigue on: short trips (n=339), long trips (n=353) Q9c. Thinking about the last time you were driving but felt quite tired on a long trip, what time of day was it? Q10c. Thinking about the last time you were driving but felt quite tired on a short trip, what time of day was it?

The mini group participants also suggested that the afternoon or early evening period was the time at

which they started to feel tired whilst driving. Many, particularly the older group members, suggested

that they often tried to time their trips in order to arrive at their destination in the afternoon in

recognition that they would be starting to fatigue around about this time.

Very few drivers in fact, reported feeling comfortable driving at night because of decreased visibility but

also because of the increased possibility of driving fatigued.

50


3.2. Common Causes of Driver Fatigue

When asked what they perceive to be the most common causes of driver fatigue, around half of drivers

spontaneously mentioned ‘lack of sleep’ (51%, Table 1). ‘Driving for too long without a stop’ was the

next most frequently cited cause (30%) with this reason being more likely to be mentioned by older

(50+) drivers.

‘Stress’ (14%) and ‘alcohol/hangovers’ (10%) were offered as causes by over ten percent of respondents,

with the latter reason being more often cited by older drivers over 50 years.

Other causes of driver fatigue mentioned fairly frequently included ‘starting off tired’ (6%),

‘boredom/lack of stimulation’ (5%) and ‘not enough concentration/focus’ (5%).

While only 6% of all respondents were unable to nominate a cause, this was significantly higher amongst

males aged 17-29 (17%).

Table 1: Perceived Common Causes of Driver Fatigue (Unprompted)

Total

(n=1002)

Aged

17-49

(n=588)

Aged

50+

(n=414)

17-29

Males

(n=76)

30-49

Males

(n=169)

Perceived Common Causes of Driver Fatigue (%)

Lack of sleep 51 53 49 44 43

Driving for too long without a stop 30 27 35 14 22

Stress \ busy lifestyle \ overwork 14 14 15 16 15

Alcohol \ hangovers 10 7 14 9 8

Starting off tired \ already tired 6 6 5 7 6

Boredom \ lack of stimulation 5 5 5 - 2

Not enough concentration \ focus 5 4 5 3 4

Long straight roads with little traffic \ variation 4 5 4 1 5

Lack of food \ drink 3 4 2 4 3

Bad driving conditions \ weather \ roads 3 2 4 2 3

Trying to get somewhere too quickly \ anxious

to reach destination 3 3 2 6 3

Other 21 16 27 15 17

Don’t know 6 8 3 17 9

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q11a. Thinking about drivers in general and not specifically your own behaviour, what do you believe are the most common causes of driver fatigue? Please list as many causes as you can think of. (Unprompted)

51


Sleep Debt

The survey respondents also appeared to have a reasonable knowledge of the term ‘sleep debt’. When

asked to describe the term, the two most commonly given definitions were ‘lack of sleep/less than

required’ (44%, Table 2) and ‘not having enough sleep over several days’ (26%). Other descriptions were

of a similar nature and included definitions such as, ‘a build up of insufficient sleep’ (10%), ‘catching up

on sleep later’ (5%), owing ‘sleep to your body’ (4%), ‘sleep deprivation’ (3%) and ‘hours of sleep you are

lacking’ (3%).

Discussion of the term within the mini groups also revealed that while it was not something that

participants used in everyday conversation, it was understood by all, and most were able to verbalise a

definition of sleep debt as being a lack of sleep built up over a number of days.

“It’s pretty self-explanatory really. If you don’t sleep well over a period of time you start to feel

tired and run down” – Female, Family, Newcastle

However male respondents aged 17-29 were less knowledgeable, with nearly one third (31%) of this

segment claiming not to know what sleep debt meant.

Table 2: Understanding of 'Sleep Debt' (Unprompted) Total

(n=1002)

Aged

17-49

(n=588)

Aged

50+

(n=414)

17-29

Males

(n=76)

30-49

Males

(n=169)

Understanding of Term ‘Sleep Debt’ (%)

Lack of sleep \ less than required 44 42 46 31 44

Not having enough sleep over several days 26 26 26 23 26

A build-up of insufficient sleep 10 12 7 13 14

Catching up on sleep later \ at the weekend 5 6 4 6 6

You owe sleep to your body 4 5 2 4 2

Sleep deprivation 3 2 5 2 5

The amount \ hours of sleep you are lacking 3 3 2 2 2

Not having enough sleep before driving 2 1 2 - 2

Lack of quality sleep \ broken sleep, sleep apnoea 1 1 2 1 1

You can’t make up sleep that you have lost 1 1 1 1

Other 1 2 1 1 1

Nothing 1 2 - 5 1

Don’t know 19 20 18 31 22

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q12a. What do you understand the term ‘sleep debt’ to mean? (Unprompted)

52


After reading a description of sleep debt (a lack of sleep built up over a number of days), respondents

were asked if they had ever experienced it. Figure 31 shows that the majority of drivers had

experienced slept debt at some point, with 7% experiencing it ‘very frequently’, 12% ‘fairly often’ and a

third (33%) ‘sometimes’.

Sleep debt experiences were marginally more regular amongst younger males (17-29 years) with one in

ten claiming to experience it ‘very frequently’ (Figure 31, and Table A22).

Figure 31: Incidence of Experiencing Sleep Debt

7

9

4

10

8

12

18

4

26

17

33

35

31

28

34

30

25

37

20

28

18

13

24

16

13

Total(n=1002)

Aged 17-49(n=588)

Aged 50+(n=414)

Males 17-29(n=76)

Males 30-49(n=169)

Yes, very frequently Yes, fairly often Yes, sometimes Yes, but rarely No, never experienced

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q12b. Sleep debt means a lack of sleep built up over a number of days. Have you ever experienced sleep debt?

Despite being familiar with sleep debt, most participants did not see it as a major issue for their driving,

and as has been mentioned, some participants specifically included a good night sleep in their

preparations before taking a long driving trip. A clear exception to this could be seen with some of the

younger males who did appear to be impacted by sleep debt, despite not necessarily seeing it as an

issue. A few referenced instances of having several ‘big nights’ in a row before driving long distances,

and only recognising in hindsight that their poor preparation in this regard may have influenced their

driving ability. Even so, these participants generally felt that they were capable of handling themselves

when they were sleep deprived.

“I’ve left really early from a music festival after a couple of days of little sleep” – Male, Single,

Sydney CBD

53


3.3. Early Warning Signs of Driver Fatigue

When drivers were asked to name the early warning signs of driver fatigue, there appeared to be a good

level of understanding of the symptoms and signs, with most being able to mention at least one or two.

‘Yawning’ (45%) and ‘difficulty focusing’ (40%) were the two signs most frequently mentioned by

drivers, followed by specific issues to do with their eyes, ‘tired/ sore eyes/rubbing eyes’ (25%) and

‘closing eyes/droopy’ (17%). ‘Drowsiness’, ‘restlessness’ and ‘drifting in your lane’ were also mentioned

by around one in ten drivers, however actual ‘microsleeps’ were only cited as a sign by 4% of NSW

drivers (see Table 3).

Those less familiar with the early warning signs tended to be younger males, with over a quarter (28%)

of them unable to mention a sign of fatigue.

Table 3: Identification of Driver Fatigue Signs (Unprompted)

Total

(n=1002)

Aged

17-49

(n=588)

Aged

50+

(n=414)

Males

17-29

(n=76)

Males

30-49

(n=169)

Perceived Early Warning Signs of Driver Fatigue (%)

Yawning 45 44 45 32 37

Difficulty focussing \ losing concentration 40 34 44 30 29

Tired \ sore eyes \ rubbing eyes 25 26 24 17 20

Closing eyes \ droopy 17 16 18 19 14

Drowsiness 13 12 15 10 14

Restlessness 11 10 13 3 9

Drifting in your lane \ erratic driving 9 8 12 4 11

Blinking 5 5 4 - 5

Micro sleeps 4 4 5 4 6

Blurry vision 3 3 2 1 3

Sore \ stiff muscles 2 1 2 2 1

Staring 2 1 2 1 2

Other 6 6 6 3 1

Don’t know 9 12 5 28 16

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q13. The symptoms of driver fatigue can be referred to as ‘early warning signs’ of fatigue. What do you think are the ‘early warning signs’ of driver fatigue? (Unprompted)

54


Respondents were asked in the survey if they had actually experienced any signs of fatigue from a given

list, in the last 12 months while driving. The majority (60%) of drivers claimed to have experienced

‘yawning’ and a further 40% of drivers reported having ‘sore or tired eyes’ (see Figure 32).

Around one third of respondents had experienced signs such as ‘poor concentration’ (36%), ‘boredom’

(35%), ‘drowsiness’ (33%) and ‘restlessness’ (30%) while driving in the last 12 months.

‘Microsleeps/falling asleep at the wheel’ had been experienced by over one in ten drivers (12%) in the

past year.

Figure 32: Incidence of Experiencing 'Early Warning Signs' (Prompted)

60

41

36

35

33

30

21

15

15

12

11

8

20

Yawning

Sore or tired eyes / increased blinking / heavy eyes / rubbing eyes

Poor concentration /day dreaming

Boredom

Drowsiness (feeling sleepy)

Restlessness

Feeling irritable

Blurry vision

Slow reactions

Microsleep / falling asleep at the wheel

Having difficulty staying within marked lanes

Oversteering

None of these

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q14. In the last 12 months, have you experienced any of the following early warning signs while driving? (Prompted)

55


Survey respondents over 50 years of age were less likely to have experienced any of the early warning

signs and were more likely than their younger counterparts to have indicated that they had not

experienced any of them (30%, Table 4). Males in general however, were more likely to have

experienced early warning signs, with males 17-29 years particularly more likely to have experienced

‘boredom’ (49%) and ‘blurred vision’ (27%), while 30-49 year old males were more likely to have

experienced ‘microsleeps’ (19%), ‘having difficulty staying within marked lanes’ (17%) and ‘oversteering’

(12%).

Table 4: Incidence of 'Early Warning Signs' (Prompted)

Total

(n=1002)

Aged

17-49

(n=588)

Aged

50+

(n=414)

Males

17-29

(n=76)

Males

30-49

(n=169)

Experience of Early Warning Signs of Driver Fatigue (%)

Yawning 60 67 52 57 66

Sore or tired eyes/increased

blinking/heavy eyes/rubbing eyes 41 47 33 45 47

Poor concentration/day dreaming 36 44 25 43 43

Boredom 35 42 25 49 44

Drowsiness (feeling sleepy) 33 37 26 29 39

Restlessness 30 34 24 34 34

Feeling irritable 21 26 14 25 26

Blurry vision 15 21 8 27 22

Slow reactions 15 19 9 21 22

Microsleep/falling asleep at the wheel 12 13 10 11 19

Having difficulty staying within marked

lanes 11 14 7 12 17

Oversteering 8 10 6 8 12

None of these 20 13 30 14 11


56


Response to Early Warning Signs of Driver Fatigue

Both the survey respondents and mini group participants revealed not all warning signs were considered

dangerous enough to warrant stopping straight away. When asked if they would stop straight away,

soon after or keep driving when they experienced a particular warning sign, the majority of drivers felt

that they would keep driving or stop soon for over half the signs.

The signs that drivers felt they would be most likely to stop straight away after experiencing were

‘microsleeps’ (86%, Figure 33a), ‘oversteering’ (52%, down from 56% in the 2006 study) and

‘drowsiness’ (50%, down from 66% in the 2006 study). In the case of microsleeps (which was not

measured in the 2006 study), almost one in ten (7%) 17-29 year olds suggested that they would keep

driving after falling asleep at the wheel (Table A25).

Figure 33b also shows that over half of the respondents surveyed indicated that they would stop soon

after if they experienced ‘poor concentration’ (55%), ‘sore or tired eyes’ (63%), ‘restlessness’ (58%), or

‘yawning’ (55%).

Figure 33a: Reactions to 'Early Warning Signs'Comparing 2006 & 2012

19

3844

5750

665256

86

63

45

49

3445

2840

25

121716

7755213

8

201220062012200620122006201220062012

Keep Driving

Stop SoonAfter

Stop StraightAway

%

Base: All survey respondents (2012 n=1002) Q15. If you were to experience any of the following warning signs while driving, would you stop straight away, stop soon after or keep driving?(2006 & 2012)

Drowsiness Oversteering Microsleep

*Not asked in

2006

Sore or Tired Eyes Slow reactions

57


Figure 33b: Reactions to 'Early Warning Signs' Comparing 2006 , 2012

101012161412

3639

4546555058

35

5549

45313333

27

50

811

20122006201220062012200620122006

Keep Driving

Stop Soon After

Stop Straight Away

%

Base: All survey respondents (2012 n=1002) Q15. If you were to experience any of the following warning signs while driving, would you stop straight away, stop soon after or keep driving?(2006 & 2012)

The mini group participants were also asked to rank the early warning signs in terms of their perceived

severity and likelihood of making them stop for a break.

Microsleeps, double/blurred vision, and drifting across lanes were warning signs that were seen to be

quite severe and required an immediate stop/break before driving could recommence. Some also felt

that a momentary loss of awareness of surroundings would require the same response.

However, forgetting sections of a driving experience was not felt to be that uncommon (particularly

amongst the younger drivers), and this aspect was generally placed more mid-range in the severity

rankings. So too the signs of sore/heavy/tired eyes, momentary lacks in concentration, slow reaction

times, sore limb(s), slight drowsiness, headaches, and yawning were also generally seen to be mid

ranking. As such the required response from such signs was seen to be to take a break, but not

necessarily immediately.

Other signs identified included finding the car speed to be altering, general boredom, feeling

frustrated/agitated/irritable, and generally restless and fidgety. These signs however, were seen to be

quite low on the severity scale, and as such were not felt to require any real action in response.

Interestingly however, while there were a number of signs identified that were not felt in isolation to

require any real immediate response, participants indicated that when the signs were combined, they

would be more likely to be seen as more severe, and lead them to stop and take a break. This effect of

having a ‘combination of symptoms’ was more likely to be mentioned by the older participants – with

younger drivers (males particularly) expressing a strong desire to resist ‘minor’ warning signs (even in

Poor concentration Boredom Yawning Restlessness

58


combination), and to push on to their final destination or what they termed an essential stop (needing

to go to the toilet etc.).

3.4. Reasons for Driving While Fatigued

Reasons for driving while fatigued were discussed primarily in the context of continuing to drive after

fatigue signs had been experienced. However, while not necessarily a pre-determined area of

exploration for the mini groups, the discussion process sometimes covered situations where participants

had commenced a trip knowing full-well that they were not totally alert. As an example, one participant

indicated that they had set out early one morning to play a round of golf, and ended up falling asleep by

the side of the road. The motivators behind this sort of behaviour though, can be seen to be in-line with

the reasons motivators outlined below (e.g. in this case, adhering to deadlines/commitments, and a

belief that they will feel ‘awake’ in due course).

Pre-determined responses in the survey also focussed on continuing to drive when already fatigued, and

‘having nowhere to stop’ (55%) and being ‘close to reaching the destination’ (45%) were the two main

reasons respondents selected. Respondents also indicated that they would continue driving fatigued

because they were ‘not feeling tired enough’ (33%), ‘didn’t feel safe stopping in a rest area’ (27%) or

because they simply ‘wanted to get the journey over with’ (27%, see Figure 34).

Drivers were less likely to select ‘not believing I will have a crash’ (11%) or ‘having to meet a deadline’

(16%) as reasons for not stopping when tired.

The perception of having ‘nowhere to stop’ was greater amongst the older age groups (57% amongst

males over 50 years; 61% amongst females over 50 years), while ‘not wanting to waste time’ was more

likely to be the case for the younger 17-29 years olds (30% amongst 17-29 year old males; 29% amongst

17-29 year old females; see table A26).

Within the group discussions, whilst a number of participants held a perception that there was ‘nowhere

to stop’, it seemed that (particularly amongst the older drivers) it was more of a perception that there

was nowhere suitable to stop other than fast food outlets or at service centres. The lack of pre-trip

preparation in planning potential stops (particularly amongst the younger participants) may also have

contributed to his perception, as by the time they felt that they needed to stop, there may not be any

stopping opportunities nearby.

59


Figure34: Reasons for Continuing to Drive Even While Tired – (Prompted)

55

45

33

27

27

23

20

19

17

16

11

12

Nowhere to stop

Close to reaching destination

Not feeling tired enough

Don’t feel safe stopping in a rest area

Wanting to get the journey over with

Believing I am able to stay awake

Wanting to reach destination at a reasonable hour

Not wanting to get off the freeway\highway

Not wanting to waste time

Having a deadline to meet

Don’t believe I will have a crash

None of these

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q16. For which of the following reasons might you continue to drive rather than take a break if you were feeling tired?

Many of the mini group participants openly stated they had driven when tired. When discussing why

this occurred, and why they begin a journey when already tired or push on when they know that they

should stop, many different reasons emerged:

Adhering to Deadlines/Commitments

This was a common reason, especially when family and friends were felt to be relying on them (e.g.

to turn up to a wedding), or in cases where they were required to be somewhere at a certain time

(e.g. getting to work, or picking up their children). While they realised that deadlines can be moved,

participants expressed a need to avoid letting other people down.

“You can’t just not show, so you make the effort. It would be a bit soft to say that you couldn’t make

it on time because you had to stop for a powernap”. – Male, Single/Couple, Newcastle

Inexperience

Whilst many of the younger participants knew of the early warning signs of fatigue, some of the less

experienced drivers did not seem to be making the connection between the warning signs and

microsleeps. That is, they did not seem to have a grasp of when the signs became significant

enough to warrant action, and so appeared to be underestimating the severity of the situation.

“I know when I am tired but I’ve never had a microsleep so I wouldn’t know if I am that bad” –

Female, Single/Couple, Parramatta

60


A Belief That Drivers Will Feel ‘Awake’ in Due Course

Those who set out to beat the traffic were open to admitting that they sometimes felt tired before

they departed, but left anyway under the assumption that they would wake up as they went along.

Young males in particular, admitted to jumping in the car after only a few hours sleep the night

before, despite the fact they were setting off mid-morning.

“It’s how I feel pretty much every day. It takes me a while to get going…. but I’m not going to sit

around and wait before I set off. Driving wakes you up” – Male, Single, Sydney CBD

Peer Pressure/Family Pressures

Those with children mentioned that they sometimes had an added pressure of getting the children

home or to end the journey. Those who drove with friends also talked of pressure to continue on

and not ‘unnecessarily’ extend the journey by stopping.

“I don’t want to put everyone out by stopping” – Female, Family, Newcastle

Concern Over Safety

While there were some general mentions of not feeling safe just stopping to rest on the side of the

road, particularly on an expressway, due to the risk of being hit by another vehicle, a few of the

younger females did not think unmanned rest stops were a safe place to stop (particularly at night,

or when on their own). However, they did not tend to plan their stops to ensure they could pull

over somewhere safe when they needed a break.

“As a single female I don’t think I’d go near them stops at night. They’re removed from the traffic,

and there’s usually just one or two cars or trucks in them. I don’t think they look safe at all” -

Female, Single/Couple, Parramatta

Anticipation of Getting Home

Some participants also described the ‘excitement’ of nearing home, and the desire to reach the end

of their trip so that they would then be able to relax. They felt that the ‘pull factor’ in such a

situation would often be enough to keep them going.

“I’d rather get home and get a solid sleep in my bed than have half an hour on the side of the road”

– Male, Single/Couple, Wagga Wagga

Beat the GPS

Some participants also indicated that they knew how long a trip should take (from experience,

route planners or by checking their GPS device) and had a desire to match or even beat the

expected trip time - even to the extent of deriving a sense of satisfaction when this was achieved.

61


“It feels good to know you’ve taken 10 minutes off your trip”. – Female, Single/Couple, Parramatta

“You just need to get to that chequered flag as fast as you can” – Male, Single, Sydney

Avoiding Frustration

Some drivers (most likely to be males) also indicated that they were less likely to stop if they had

been dealing with traffic and/or difficult vehicles along the length of their trip, because if they were

to pull aside it would result in them having to re-experience the difficulty they had just encountered

(i.e. by overtaking the same vehicles again).

“If it’s just taken you 10 minutes to get in front of a caravan, you don’t want to pull over and let it

pass you” –Male, Family, Parramatta

A Sense of Pride

Amongst young males and a few of the older males, there was also a sense of having to prove

themselves by pushing on. Many spoke of not wanting to appear to be weak and incapable of

driving long stints, particularly in front of others.

“You don’t want to seem weak to your mates” – Male, Single/Couple, Newcastle

Invincibility

Younger males and some younger females revealed a sense that crashing due to fatigue ‘won’t

happen to me’ - which seemed to stem from them generally having done it before without any

issue. This led them to believe that they could easily do it again without issue.

“I’m capable of understanding my own threshold” – Male, Single, Sydney CBD

“I’m used to driving long distances so I can drive for longer than others” – Male, Single/Couple,

Wagga Wagga

Inconvenience and not wanting to waste time

The majority perceived stopping as a waste of time. Even a short toilet break or petrol stop was felt

to add significantly to a trip (in the vicinity of 20 to 30 minutes). In that sense there was a strong

desire expressed for people to push on where they possibly could.

“Its easy to get behind if you make a stop, so you try and keep your stops to as few as possible” –

Male, Family, Parramatta

A feeling that there is nowhere to stop

This was also expressed (quite prominently) in the survey results. However, while the mini group

participants suggested that there actually were places for them to stop if they really had to, they

62


felt that it was difficult to find places that met all of their requirements for a stop. That is, they were

looking for locations that served decent food and good coffee etc. Most potential stop locations

were seen to be at large service centres, which were felt to be convenient location wise, but lacking

somewhat in terms of what they offer.

The lack of pre planning trip stops may also have contributed to this perception as some described

having no stopping options nearby when they finally decided that they needed a break/stop.

“You don’t have the sort of choice that you used to going through the small towns” – Male, Empty

Nester, Wagga Wagga

Not wanting to stop too frequently

Another general barrier expressed came more from the younger participants who tended to see

their long driving trips more of a chore than those of the older participants (who sometimes

incorporated the travel into the enjoyment of a trip). The younger and regional participants

generally wanted to minimize the frequency with which they stopped – especially if they had

passengers as they didn’t want to inconvenience others – and so most felt that they did not want to

stop every couple of hours.

“I know they say to stop every two hours, but for us you would never get anywhere” – Male, Empty

Nester, Wagga Wagga

Continuing to Drive When Fatigued

The average time away from a destination survey respondents suggested that they would ‘push on’

rather than stop even if they were tired was 55 minutes, with this raising significantly to an average 78

minutes amongst males 17-29 years and 68 minutes for males 30-49 years old. Older (50+) drivers were

more likely to stop earlier, claiming if an average of 50 minutes away from a destination, they would

continue to drive if tired (see Figure 35).

Figure 35: Acceptable Distance Away from Destination to 'Push On' - Average Minutes

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q17a. If you recognised that you were tired while driving on a long trip, how close would you have to be from your destination to ‘push on’ rather than take a break?

63


3.5. Motivators to Stop Driving When Fatigued

Even if close to their destination, respondents were asked which motivators from a given list would

actually make them stop if they were tired. Not surprisingly, 79% stated a ‘microsleep’ would force

them to pull over and 71% would stop if they almost crashed (see Figure 36).

Other fatigue signs such as ‘poor concentration’ (48%), ‘pressure from other passengers’ (47%) and ‘sore

or tired eyes’ (27%) emerged as less motivating than the ‘need for toilet break’ (61%).

Of concern was the higher proportion of 17-29 year old males (12%) who suggested that ‘nothing’ would

make them stop if they were close to their destination (Table A28).

Figure 36: Reasons for Stopping - Long Trip (Prompted)

79

71

61

48

47

27

26

2

Microsleep \ falling asleep at the wheel

Almost crashed


Poor concentration

Pressure from passengers

Sore or tired eyes

Hungry\thirsty

None of these, would continue driving

%

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q17b. What would make you stop if you were feeling tired on a long trip even if you were X hours and X Minutes [INSERT] from your destination? (Prompted)

64


4. Potential Countermeasures for Driver Fatigue

4.1. Support for Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal

Approximately half of all respondents (52%) supported the idea of making it illegal to drive while

fatigued (see Figure 37). Greatest support came from those over 50 years (59%).

Support was lowest amongst respondents aged 17-29 years, particularly the males (35%, compared to

43% of females in that age group). Respondents residing in regional areas were also more likely to be in

support of the idea compared with metropolitan residents (58% versus 50% for metro, see Table A33).

General support for legislation dropped dramatically from 2006 where all age groups showed over 75%

support for this countermeasure. This change in support may be due to the slight wording change in the

question where 2006 calls for legislation ‘without having slept in the previous 24h’, whereas 2012 asks

‘when fatigued’.

Figure 37: Support for Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal 2006, 2012

77 77 76

5248

59

Total Age 17-49 Age 50+

2006 (n=1000) 2012 (n=1002)

%

Base: All survey respondents as shown. Q (2006) In principle, would you support making it illegal to drive a vehicle without having slept in the previous 24hours? Q (2012) In principle, would you support making it illegal to drive when fatigued?

Respondents in support of making driver fatigue illegal were presented with two ideas for potential

definitions of ‘fatigued’ (see Figure 38). Overall there was not a great deal of difference between

preference levels for the two definitions, although there was a slightly higher preference for ‘driving

after being awake for 17 hours’ (48%) rather than ‘driving having not slept in the last 24 hours’ (44%).

Preferences for the legal definition of driving when fatigued did not vary significantly by age, gender or location (see Table A34).

65


Figure 38: Legal Definition of Driving When Fatigued (Prompted)

Base: Respondents in support (n=527). Q23b. If it were to be illegal, how do you think ‘driving while fatigued’ should be defined?

(Prompted)

The main reason respondents did not support making ‘driving when fatigued’ illegal in principle, was

because it was felt to be too hard to police, judge or define (54%, Table 5). Further reasons for a lack of

support were because it was felt that there are too many fines or rules already (10%); that people have

different tolerances to fatigue (10%); and because sometimes you just need to keep driving (9%).

Those tending to suggest that driving when fatigued would be too hard to police/judge were males aged

30-49 years (62%) and regional respondents (70%, see Table A35).

Table 5: Reasons Against Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal (Unprompted)

Total

(n=208)

Reasons for Making Driving When Fatigued Illegal (Unprompted) (%)

Too hard to police \ who would judge \ define it 54

Too many fines \ rules already 10

People have different tolerances to fatigue 10

Sometimes you just need to keep driving 9

Dangerous \ that is what causes a lot of accidents 6

Personal responsibility \ people should manage their own fatigue 6

Almost everyone drives fatigued \ e.g. new mothers 5

It’s a ridiculous idea 3

Other 5

Don’t know 11

Base: Survey respondents not in support (n=208) Q23d. Why would you not support making it illegal to drive while fatigued?

(Unprompted)

66


The mini group participants were also asked what measures could be undertaken to encourage people

not to drive when fatigued. Without any prompting, in almost all groups the suggestion was made to

introduce some form of legal enforcement measure. While participants weren’t too sure if or how this

could ever be policed, they suggested that if it was achievable it would help to raise the profile of the

issue and reinforce its importance.

“If it was illegal and they could actually tell, then that would work” – Male, Retiree, Sydney CBD

“Maybe if your car doesn’t start until you pass some sort of alertness test” – Male, Family,

Parramatta

Related to this, though not necessarily a formal form of enforcement, some also felt that Police

presence in general tended to result in drivers being more aware of their driving behaviour and

compliant with driving rules. As such, they suggested that simply having more Police presence on the

road would (by default) lessen the incidence of fatigue related crashes.

Potential Penalties for Driving When Fatigued

The most appropriate penalty for driving while fatigued was felt to be a fine (66%) or loss of demerit

points (65%, Figure 39). The idea of a fine was less likely to be considered appropriate amongst younger

males aged 17-29 years (48%) and older females aged 50 + years (54%, see Table A36). Loss of demerit

points was also less likely to be considered appropriate by younger males (36%).

Figure 39: Appropriate Penalties for Driving While Fatigued (Prompted)

66

65

30

23

15

10

8

1

1

A fine

Demerit points

Loss of licence

Community service

Go to court

Don’t know\unsure

Jail

Education

Other

%

Base: Survey respondents who support making it illegal to drive while fatigued (n=527). Q23c. What penalties do you feel would be

appropriate for driving while fatigued? (Prompted)

67


4.2. Other Potential Countermeasures

Apart from enforcement as already discussed, there were a range of other suggestions to emerge from

the group discussions that were felt to have the ability to encourage compliance and lessen the rate of

fatigue related incidences. These included:

Encouraging Passenger Involvement

The suggestion was made within a few of the group discussions to encourage passengers to play a

greater role in influencing drivers to take a break by being more attentive of the driver’s condition,

and then suggesting when breaks should be taken. This was felt to have the ability to lessen the

pride barrier that the driver may display by allowing them the option of stopping because someone

else had suggested it (rather than the driver imposing a stop and inconveniencing their passengers).

It was felt that this could be achieved by educating children and passengers to speak up and suggest

the need to swap drivers or stop and take a break.

Promotion of Detours and Scenic Stops

While some of the older participants were viewing the drive to their destination as part of the

overall experience they were having, this clearly wasn’t the case for all drivers. Many participants

simply saw the trip as a means of getting to where they wanted to go, and not feeling any form of

pleasure in the drive itself. As such, there were some suggestions of encouraging drivers to change

this perspective, and to allow more time for travel so that the drive itself could become part of the

overall (hopefully pleasurable) experience that they were seeking. As there was recognition that

drivers were reluctant to venture far from the highway, it was felt that promotion of quality stops

and experiences along popular routes may assist in encouraging drivers to stop and experience

different things along their trip.

Education Campaigns

Participants ultimately came to the conclusions that further education was required to increase

general public awareness and knowledge of driver fatigue as an issue. The most common suggestion

to emerge was for the use of ‘hard-hitting’ graphic style advertising to act as a reminder of the

potential consequences of driver fatigue. However, others felt that graphic advertising was all too

common these days, and felt that a more straightforward approach would be more beneficial.

This, it was suggested could have an emphasis on the prevalence of fatigue by the use of statistics

that could be used to compare the issue with other more top-of-mind issues such as speed or

alcohol. As an example, some of the younger participants recalled a statistic (potentially from the

Road Users handbook) that equates driving after an extended period with no sleep with a certain

level blood alcohol content. Alternately, some of the younger participants felt that a campaign

should be developed to make driving while fatigued socially unacceptable, as they felt was achieved

with speeding through the Pinkie campaign.

68


More Driver Reviver Stops

There were also suggestions that greater use could be made of Driver Reviver stops. Some felt that

these were currently under-manned and under-utilised and others were simply suggesting that

more of these sorts of stopping opportunities should be provided. However, it was also suggested

that not only should more stops be provided, but also that better facilitates be made available, with

more comfortable seating, and perhaps better tea and coffee, as well as energy drinks and cakes for

sale to encourage stopping. Some participants suggested that there needed to be better signage of

these areas to offer an early warning that one is approaching. A few of the participants who had

driven through Victoria also spoke of the term ‘Powernap Bay’ that are used in this State to

encourage people to take a serious rest (not just stretch their legs).

Message Boards

The other main suggestion to emerge was for greater use of road side messaging to remind people

to stop. Some took this concept further and also thought that there was potential for point to point

cameras to be used to identify drivers that had been driving for extended periods without a break -

and for message boards to suggest (to those specific cars) to rest soon.

69


Discussion and Conclusions

From the findings of the research there were a number of issues that emerged for consideration:

1. The notion of a short trip was an ambiguous one. In the survey, it was defined as anytime drivers

were in the car travelling for less than two hours within their home city/town, however findings

suggest that ‘trips’ are seen to be more for special occasions or the ‘out of the ordinary’ journeys.

In any future research or communication, caution will need to be taken when using the term

‘short trip’. It will need to be defined clearly as to what is meant by the term in a way that is not

open to misinterpretation.

2. In addition, ‘short trips’ were not regarded as requiring a break of any kind. Drivers did not even

consider factoring in a break whilst driving on a short trip.

In that regard, any future communication should give consideration to alerting drivers to the

dangers of fatigue in any situation - by suggesting that it is not only an issue on long trips, but on

short trips as well.

3. Whilst drivers were spending some time preparing for their long trips, the focus of preparation was

on ensuring that the car was in order, that there were snacks and drinks available for the trip, and

that they were familiar with the route and the time it will take. There appeared to be little pre-

planning in terms of formalised selection of stops or breaks along the way or even planning time in

the journey for those breaks.

There may be merit in devising a strategy aimed at encouraging drivers to pre-plan regular rests or

breaks, or at least time for them, within their trip.

4. Unless the warning signs were considered severe (e.g. experiencing drowsiness, oversteering or a

microsleep), drivers tended to keep ‘pushing on’. Less severe symptoms of fatigue were ignored and

many did not know when being tired was too tired. That is, when the chance of a microsleep is high.

There is an opportunity to communicate the ease with which a microsleep can occur when tired

and strongly link other signs of fatigue with the onset of microsleeps.

5. The 17-29 year male segment was generally of the mindset that they are somewhat invincible and

therefore capable of ‘pushing on’, even when they do experience signs of fatigue. They were also

less inclined to prepare themselves before taking a long trip.

This sub-group indicated a relatively high incidence of experiencing driver fatigue, particularly in the

morning, and appeared less aware of the ‘early warning signs’ of driver fatigue. Young males were

also less knowledgeable of the exact term sleep debt, although when prompted with a description,

the incidence of having experienced sleep debt was high.

70


Consideration should be given to further educating drivers (particularly younger ones) on the signs

of driver fatigue in order to heighten the perceived level of risk associated with experiencing the

‘early warning’ signs and to stress the importance of stopping immediately when those signs

appear, no matter how long the trip; not to push on when close to reaching their destination.

6. Young males in particular, suggested that they carry on driving even when tired for fear of being seen to be weak or unable to handle the drive. In that respect the peer pressure to demonstrate that you can keep going was quite strong.

Perhaps this peer pressure can be harnessed to stop drivers from pushing on by devising a strategy specifically targeted at young male drivers who are too proud to take a break. This level of peer pressure could also be encouraged to come from passengers who could embarrass the driver into taking a break.

7. When compared with driving under the influence of alcohol and to some extent speeding, driving

fatigued was not considered as serious. The factors that contributed to that perception were that

there were no laws against it, fatigue related incidences were not as high profile in the media, and

public fatigue related campaign awareness was low.

We would suggest consideration be given to using future communication to lift the seriousness

and prevalence of driver related fatigue crashes and perhaps utilising comparisons of driver

fatigue to driving with a high blood alcohol level or at high speeds.

8. Of the campaigns, the Dr Karl campaign was the most well recalled, and the most prominent

residual messaging from this campaign was that of microsleeps and the night time setting. There

was also a perception that the risk of a microsleep is much greater in the evening (which appears to

have been fuelled by advertising featuring Dr Karl’s reference to circadian rhythms), so much so that

many drivers try to time their arrival before dusk. However, many drivers also indicated

experiencing fatigue when driving in the afternoon.

In future communication, it may be beneficial to highlight the dangers of fatigue during the

afternoon as drivers believed they were already more cautious at night and associated

microsleeps more with night time driving.

71


Appendix 1 – Detailed Tables

Table A 1

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). S5 Roughly how often would you say you drive (this may include driving a vehicle owned by someone else)?

Table A 2

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). S1. Which of the following licences, other than a learner’s permit, do you currently hold?, S6

On an average week, how many hours would you spend driving a vehicle?

Total (n=1,002)

Males grouped by age Females grouped by age Location

17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

S5. Frequency of Driving (%)

Every Day 68 60 74 74 61 68 60 66 73

A few times a week 25 32 17 23 28 25 33 26 24

Less often 7 8 8 3 11 8 7 8 3

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

S6. Hours spent in vehicle in average week (%)

Less than 3 hours 22 20 17 17 25 29 27 22 24

3-10 hours 50 50 43 51 52 48 54 49 51

11-20 hours 22 23 31 23 21 20 14 24 17

More than 20 hours 6 7 10 9 2 3 4 5 8

S1. Type of NSW Licence Holder (%)

Unrestricted/ Full car licence

88 82 90 87 76 90 98 89 87

Nett Motorcycle licence

13 18 19 13 5 1 8 14 11

Heavy vehicle licence 12 6 20 26 0 4 5 9 21

Nett Provisional (red or green P plate)

6 18 4 0 22 5 0 7 2

Other 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 1

72


Table A 3

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q1 What percentage of your weekly driving would you say is for work or personal reasons? For

the purposes of this survey, please include commuting to work as a ‘personal’ reason

Table A 4

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q2. What percentage of your driving is done between 10pm and 6am?

Table A 5

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q3a In the last week, how many times did you drive on a short trip (less than 2 hours, within your home city/town?)

Q1. Proportion of driving for Personal/Work (Mean %)

Personal 71 64 59 75 67 73 78 71 69

Work 29 36 41 25 33 27 22 29 31

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q2. Proportion of Driving Done During 10pm-6am (%)

0-9% 67 33 52 73 59 77 79 63 77

10-19% 13 23 17 11 19 10 8 15 9

More than 20% 20 40 30 16 22 13 13 22 14

Don’t Know 1 4 1 0 0 0 1 1 0

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q3a. Number of Short Trips Taken in Last Week (%)

Did not make trip 4 8 2 4 3 6 5 4 4

1-2 times 21 16 19 22 26 17 26 21 21

3 to 10 51 59 47 54 44 52 49 51 50

More than 11 trips 23 13 29 20 26 25 18 22 24

Don’t know 1 4 3 0 1 - 2 1 1

73


Table A 6

Base: Survey respondents who had taken a short trip (n=945), Q3b On your most recent short trip, how many breaks from driving did you take?

Table A 7

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q4a. Now thinking about the last 12 months, how many times did you drive on a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town)?

Total (n=945)


17-29 (n=67)

30-49 (n=160)

50+ (n=232)

17-29 (n=117)

30-49 (n=208)

50+ (n=161)

Metro (n=690)

Regional (n=255)

Q3b. Average Number of Breaks – Short Trip (%)

None 81 57 76 85 80 84 88 80 86

1-3 15 31 20 12 12 13 10 16 12

More than 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 -

Don’t Know 1 1 2 1 1 - 0 1 -

Total (n=799)


17-29 (n=64)

30-49 (n=146)

50+ (n=198)

17-29 (n=102)

30-49 (n=171)

50+ (n=118)

Metro (n=564)

Regional (n=235)

Q4a. Number of Long Trips Taken in Last 12 Months (%)

Once 15 12 9 14 19 13 21 16 11

Twice 22 24 17 18 25 26 23 25 14

3 to 10 50 54 58 50 43 50 42 47 55

More than 10 14 10 16 18 13 11 14 12 20

74


Table A 8

Base: Survey respondents who had taken a long trip (n=799). Q4e. What was the longest period you drove on that trip without taking a break from driving?, Q4c On that trip how many breaks from driving did you take?. Q4d. When you did take a break from driving on that trip, how long did your average break last?

Total (n=799)


17-29 (n=64)

30-49 (n=146)

50+ (n=198)

17-29 (n=102)

30-49 (n=171)

50+ (n=118)

Metro (n=564)

Regional (n=235)

Q4e. Longest Period Without a Break – Most Recent Long Trip (%)

Less than 1 hour 3 2 3 1 4 4 4 3 1

Between 1-2 hours 39 34 28 46 40 40 42 42 33

Between 2-3 hours 35 23 38 39 32 36 34 32 42

Between 3-4 hours 14 20 23 7 18 11 15 15 14

More than 4 hours 8 22 8 7 6 9 4 8 9

Q4c. Number of Breaks Taken – Most Recent Long Trip (%)

Did not take a break 20 9 17 25 19 22 16 20 19

1 break 38 31 31 41 41 39 42 41 32

2 breaks 23 26 29 19 26 21 18 21 25

3 breaks 9 9 11 8 6 9 11 8 11

4 breaks 6 15 6 3 5 5 8 6 7

5 or more breaks 4 6 7 5 2 3 5 4 6

Q4d. Average break Duration – Most Recent Long Trip (%)

10 mins or less 17 18 16 16 26 21 8 17 17

11-15 mins 27 28 29 23 37 21 29 25 32

16-20 mins 22 17 21 27 13 24 25 23 21

21-30 mins 24 30 28 21 17 23 29 26 21

31-40 mins 4 3 3 7 0 5 6 5 4

41-60 mins 1 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 1

1 hour or more 4 2 2 4 6 5 2 4 4

75


Table A 9

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q4f On that long trip, which of the following places did you stop to take a break? (Prompted)

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q4f. Common Break Locations – Most Recent Long Trip (%)

Fast food restaurant or family restaurant

42 42 44 40 43 44 35 44 35

Petrol Station 40 40 55 28 45 47 29 41 39

A service centre where there is both a take-away and a petrol station

34 28 35 32 32 28 46 32 37

In a rest area 23 23 24 22 21 28 19 20 30

A town 19 31 22 20 13 14 17 17 23

At shops, café 17 11 14 16 14 18 23 16 18

Place of interest\scenic beauty spot

10 13 16 12 7 5 8 9 12

At a Driver Reviver site 8 15 15 5 6 4 8 10 4

On the side of the road 8 11 8 6 11 8 5 6 12

Friend\relatives house 4 2 1 4 6 6 4 3 5

Hotel\guest house 4 4 6 4 0 1 6 4 3

Other 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2

76


Table A 10

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q5 Thinking about driving on a long trip, what prompts you to take a break? (Prompted)

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q5. Common Reasons for Taking a Break - Long Trips (%)


66 56 55 62 65 73 75 65 69

Need to stretch legs 56 46 54 61 47 51 62 56 56

Hungry\thirsty 53 53 54 44 58 61 53 53 55

Need petrol 41 36 42 36 47 47 40 38 52

Need to take a break from staring at the road\refresh eyes

36 35 40 39 32 32 35 37 35

Feel tired\drowsy 34 31 38 28 38 39 28 35 31

Passenger requests a break

24 23 26 24 25 25 17 25 21

Start to lose concentration

22 19 25 18 25 24 21 23 19

Reach a town\pleasant area

19 13 20 20 15 17 23 19 20

See a rest area 17 14 19 17 13 14 22 16 20

Young children in car 15 18 24 2 12 26 3 15 13

See a Stop. Revive. Survive sign

13 15 13 13 11 11 15 14 10

Reach a set journey time\number of kms

7 5 6 12 7 3 4 6 8

None of the above 2 6 1 2 2 2 2 2 3

77


Table A 11

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q8. Perceptions of driving when fatigued - Denial Factors (NET Agree %)

If other people are in the car I’m more likely to stop

63 52 75 63 63 68 49 65 59

When tired on a long trip, I try to make it to the next town before stopping

41 46 48 31 53 47 28 44 33

If I’m within an hour of home and I feel tired, I won’t take a break and will just ‘push on’ to get there

38 49 48 26 52 44 24 41 30

On a long trip I try to have as few stops as possible

33 40 41 29 45 35 20 34 32

When I have to get somewhere by a certain time, I know I can keep driving on a long trip without stopping

26 37 36 22 34 25 10 26 23

I wouldn’t consider stopping on a short trip, even if I felt tired

25 28 33 18 39 28 13 28 18

I get frustrated driving on a long trip if I have to stop before I really need to

25 26 31 22 37 23 15 26 21

78


Table A 11 (Cont’d)


Q8. Perceptions of driving when fatigued – Compromise Factors (NET Agree %)

I experience driver fatigue on short trips as well as long trips

37 34 38 28 43 44 38 39 34

My driving is not affected by missing a few hours’ sleep the night before

22 34 30 17 27 19 15 23 18

I’d rather have a coffee/energy drink than stop for a break

14 21 26 6 19 14 5 16 9

I would prefer to keep going even if I was tired than stop for a break

13 23 18 7 19 15 5 15 7

Being tired doesn’t change my ability to drive

13 26 16 11 15 11 11 15 9

Driving when I am tired is not really dangerous

12 20 16 8 12 12 6 13 8

I don't believe I will crash if I drive when I am tired

12 15 16 9 13 14 8 13 7

Q8. Perceptions of driving when fatigued – Compliance Factors (NET Agree %)

I am a responsible driver 94 78 92 96 93 95 98 93 96

It is dangerous for the average driver to ignore the early warning signs of driver fatigue

90 67 89 94 89 90 95 89 92

It is dangerous for me to ignore the early warning signs of driver fatigue

88 66 87 93 88 89 91 86 93

I always make sure I get a good night’s sleep before starting on a long trip

83 65 79 88 81 83 90 82 85

I wouldn’t start a long trip unless I was well rested

81 63 78 86 78 76 91 80 82

When I feel really tired on a short trip I would be prepared to pull over

76 62 74 83 56 77 87 74 81

I’d be prepared to miss out on doing something I like in order to get a good night’s sleep

74 55 70 76 64 78 86 74 75

I plan where I will stop for breaks on a long trip

64 46 62 74 49 64 69 62 69

I regularly use rest areas to take a break

61 49 63 62 50 61 71 60 63

79


Table A 12

Base: All survey respondents ( n=1002). Q7a. There are four factors which have a major influence on death and serious injury on NSW roads. Using the slider below, where 0 is not at all serious and 10 is extremely serious; please show how serious you believe the following factors to be on death and serious injury on NSW roads

Table A 13

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q. Which, if any, of these four driving behaviours do you believe are morally wrong?

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q7a. Seriousness Perceptions of Driving Factors – Scores 9-10 (%)

Drink Driving 86 65 83 88 83 89 94 85 90

Driver Fatigue 75 45 67 82 63 80 87 72 82

Speeding 73 42 64 70 69 80 93 71 79

Not wearing a seatbelt

67 43 58 71 62 71 81 66 72

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q7c. Perceptions of Specific Behaviours – Morally Wrong (%)

Driving with an illegal (BAC) level of 0.05

86 75 81 90 83 88 93 85 91


63 54 56 70 49 65 71 62 65

Using a hand held mobile phone

67 45 57 77 59 67 76 65 72


44 39 41 43 46 47 45 41 52

80


Table A 14

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q7b. Please indicate how dangerous you find each of the following driving behaviours by ranking them from 1 to 4 – where 1 is the most dangerous, and 4 is the least dangerous of the behaviours presented.

Table A 15

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002).

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q7b. Perceptions of Specific Behaviours – Most Dangerous (%)


50 54 47 50 54 47 54 51 50


36 32 38 34 35 40 32 36 35


11 6 12 13 7 11 13 11 11


3 8 4 3 3 3 1 3 4

Q7b. Perceptions of Specific Behaviours – Second Most Dangerous (%)


27 18 31 30 21 27 29 26 30


35 40 37 33 38 33 34 34 38


30 19 25 32 31 34 31 32 25


8 23 7 5 11 7 5 8 7

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Driver Behavioural Index (%)

Positive Behaviour 35 20 22 49 11 31 54 33 39

Average Behaviour 33 35 33 32 33 33 35 32 36

Negative Behaviour 32 45 45 19 57 36 10 35 25

81


Table A 16

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q6. Importance of Safe Driving Techniques – High Importance (Score 8-10) (%)

Keep below the legal (BAC) limit, and if in doubt don’t drive

90 69 88 95 82 93 98 88 96

If feeling tired when driving, pull over and rest or swap drivers

85 56 80 92 76 86 99 83 92

Maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle in front

84 51 78 91 69 88 97 82 88

Not using a mobile phone when driving

81 55 68 89 68 85 97 79 86

Pay particular care on the roads during holiday periods

78 45 71 85 64 80 95 75 86

Never start a trip if you’re already tired

68 38 62 75 57 63 89 65 73


67 44 56 73 56 68 84 64 73

Q6. Importance of Safe Driving Techniques – Mid Importance (Score 4-7) (%)


9 29 11 4 18 7 2 11 4


14 43 19 7 22 13 1 17 7


16 45 21 8 29 12 3 17 11


17 42 27 9 27 14 3 18 12


21 51 28 13 32 20 4 23 13


29 58 35 20 37 35 10 31 24


28 51 34 21 40 28 13 30 23

82


Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q6. How important do you feel it is for you to do the following when driving? (Where 0 is not at all important and 10 is extremely important).

Table A 17

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q9a. Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of town) where you’ve felt quite tired? Q10a.Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a short trip (less than 2 hours, within your home city/town) where you’ve felt quite tired?

Q6. Importance of Safe Driving Techniques – Low Importance (Score 0-3) (%)


1 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0


1 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 1


1 4 1 - 2 - 0 1 1


2 3 5 2 5 2 0 3 2


2 4 1 2 4 0 1 2 2


3 4 3 4 6 2 1 3 3


5 5 10 6 4 4 2 6 5

Total (n=1,002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q9a/Q10a. Incidence of Experiencing Driver Fatigue (%)

Short Trip 34 35 42 25 44 42 21 36 28

Long Trip 35 41 48 30 52 33 19 34 39

83


Table A 18

Base: Survey respondents who felt tired on a long trip (n=353) Q9b. How often does this happen on a long trip? Q9c. Thinking about the last time you were driving but felt quite tired on a long trip, what time of day was it?

Total (n=353)


17-29 (n=32)

30-49 (n=81)

50+ (n=73)

17-29 (n=63)

30-49 (n=71)

50+ (n=33)

Metro (n=246)

Regional (n=107)

Q9b. Frequency of experiencing Driver Fatigue – Long Trips (%)

Very rarely 13 20 10 13 11 13 21 14 11

Rarely 31 37 28 31 30 37 24 34 24

Sometimes 46 37 47 47 51 45 36 42 53

Often 9 6 15 8 7 5 16 8 11

Very often 1 0 0 1 2 0 3 1 1

Q9c. Time of day Fatigue Experienced – LongTrips (%)

Early in the morning (6am-9am)

9 9 16 6 9 8 0 10 7

Morning (9am-12 noon)

13 23 8 17 16 9 12 13 14

Afternoon (12 noon-4pm)

33 25 26 36 33 37 44 32 35

Dusk/Twilight (4pm-8pm)

18 15 22 15 17 18 25 20 14

Evening (8pm-midnight)

16 15 16 15 14 21 15 16 18

Night (midnight-6am) 6 9 10 6 6 4 0 5 9

Don’t know/unsure 4 3 3 5 4 3 4 4 3

84


Table A 19

Base: Survey respondents who felt tired on a short trip (n=339) Q10b. How often does this happen on a short trip? Q10c. Thinking about the last time you were driving but felt quite tired on a short trip, what time of day was it?

Total (n=339)


17-29 (n=26)

30-49 (n=70)

50+ (n=59)

17-29 (n=54)

30-49 (n=94)

50+ (n=36)

Metro (n=263)

Regional (n=76)

Q10b. Frequency of experiencing Driver Fatigue – Short Trips (%)

Very rarely 23 19 21 36 17 21 19 20 33

Rarely 38 48 41 24 33 47 33 40 31

Sometimes 34 30 31 37 39 28 45 34 34

Often 5 0 7 3 7 4 3 6 1

Very often 1 4 0 0 4 0 0 1 0

Q10c. Time of day Fatigue Experienced – Short Trips (%)

Early in the morning (6am-9am)

19 29 21 11 24 21 8 21 13

Morning (9am-12 noon)

9 15 7 10 7 11 5 10 6

Afternoon (12 noon-4pm)

24 22 23 20 18 26 36 21 33

Dusk/Twilight (4pm-8pm)

17 22 23 16 9 15 25 17 21

Evening (8pm-midnight)

17 4 18 27 20 13 19 18 15

Night (midnight-6am) 10 4 6 11 15 14 3 10 10

Don’t know/unsure 3 4 3 6 6 0 3 4 2

85


Table A 20

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q11a. Thinking about drivers in general and not specifically your own behaviour, what do you believe are the most common causes of driver fatigue? Please list as many causes as you can think of. (Unprompted)

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q11a. Perceived common causes of Driver Fatigue (%)

Lack of sleep 51 44 43 47 62 59 53 54 45

Driving for too long without a stop

30 14 22 35 23 38 33 30 32

Stress \ busy lifestyle \ overwork

14 16 15 15 16 11 16 13 18

Alcohol \ hangovers 10 9 8 15 8 6 12 10 9

Starting off tired \ already tired

6 7 6 6 2 7 6 5 6

Boredom \ lack of stimulation

5 0 2 5 5 8 5 5 4

Not enough concentration \ focus

5 3 4 6 6 4 5 4 6

Long straight roads with little traffic \ variation

4 1 5 3 3 6 4 3 7

Lack of food \ drink 3 4 3 3 2 5 3 4 1

Bad driving conditions \ weather \ roads

3 2 3 5 1 2 3 2 5

Trying to get somewhere too quickly \ anxious to reach destination

3 6 3 2 2 2 3 2 4

Other 21 15 17 26 18 15 21 19 26

Don’t know 6 17 9 3 7 3 2 6 4

86


Table A 21

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q12a. What do you understand the term ‘sleep debt’ to mean? (Unprompted)

Table A 22

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q12b. Sleep debt means a lack of sleep built up over a number of days. Have you ever experienced sleep debt?

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q12a. Understanding of ‘Sleep Debt’ (%)

Lack of sleep\less than required

44 31 44 47 45 43 45 44 43

Not having enough sleep over several days

26 23 26 29 28 25 22 25 29

A build-up of insufficient sleep

10 13 14 8 11 11 6 11 9

Catching up on sleep later\at the weekend

5 6 6 4 5 6 6 5 5

You owe sleep to your body

4 4 2 2 7 7 2 4 2

Sleep deprivation 3 2 5 3 2 1 6 3 5

The amount\hours of sleep you are lacking

3 2 2 3 5 4 1 3 3

Not having enough sleep before driving

2 0 2 3 0 1 2 2 1

Lack of quality sleep\broken sleep, sleep apnoea etc.

1 1 1 1 0 0 6 11 9

You can’t make up sleep that you have lost

1 0 1 2 0 1 1 1 1

Other 1 1 1 1 1 3 0 1 1

Nothing 1 5 1 - 0 1 1 1 1

Don’t know 19 31 22 17 17 17 20 19 20

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q12b. Incidence of Experiencing Sleep Debt (%)

Yes, very frequently 7 10 8 2 14 7 6 7 5

Yes, fairly often 12 26 17 4 22 15 4 13 10

Yes, sometimes 33 28 34 31 31 39 30 34 29

Yes, but rarely 30 20 28 39 21 26 36 28 35

No, never experienced 18 16 13 25 12 13 24 17 20

87


Table A 23

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q13. The symptoms of driver fatigue can be referred to as ‘early warning signs’ of fatigue. What do you think are the ‘early warning signs’ of driver fatigue? (Unprompted)

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q13. Unprompted Identification of ‘Early Warning Signs’ of Driver Fatigue (%)

Yawning 45 32 37 40 48 52 53 43 50

Difficulty focussing\losing concentration

40 30 29 39 36 45 52 39 42

Tired\sore eyes\rubbing eyes

25 17 20 23 34 30 25 23 32

Closing eyes\droopy 17 19 14 21 15 17 15 16 18

Drowsiness 13 10 14 16 15 9 14 14 12

Restlessness 11 3 9 11 12 11 17 10 15

Drifting in your lane\erratic driving

9 4 11 14 6 8 8 8 13

Increased blinking 5 0 5 4 4 8 4 5 4

Micro sleeps 4 4 6 6 2 2 3 4 5

Blurry vision 3 1 3 2 5 3 3 3 3

Sore\stiff muscles 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2

Staring 2 1 2 2 0 2 2 2 2

Other 6 8 4 7 3 7 5 6 5

Don’t know 9 28 16 6 10 6 2 10 6

88


Table A 24


Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q14. Incidence of Experiencing ‘Early Warning Signs’ (%)

Yawning 60 57 66 58 68 69 43 58 67

Sore or tired eyes\increased blinking\heavy eyes\rubbing eyes

41 45 47 39 52 44 26 40 46

Poor concentration\day dreaming

36 43 43 28 52 40 20 36 34

Boredom 35 49 44 29 45 37 18 34 38

Drowsiness (feeling sleepy)

33 29 39 32 47 34 18 32 34

Restlessness 30 34 34 26 37 31 21 29 31

Feeling irritable 21 25 26 14 37 21 13 22 19

Blurry vision 15 27 22 8 23 16 8 15 15

Slow reactions 15 21 22 10 20 17 8 16 14

Microsleep\falling asleep at the wheel

12 11 19 14 11 11 3 12 13

Having difficulty staying within marked lanes

11 12 17 9 16 10 5 11 11

Oversteering 8 8 12 8 11 9 4 8 9

None of these 20 14 11 25 9 15 38 20 19

89


Table A 25

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Yawning (%)

Stop Straight Away 12 20 11 13 7 11 11 12 10

Stop Soon After 55 38 52 60 46 54 67 53 61

Keep Driving 33 41 38 27 48 36 22 35 29

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Poor Concentration (%)


Stop Soon After 55 48 61 47 60 63 53 56 54

Keep Driving 8 14 11 7 17 5 2 8 8

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Sore or Tired Eyes (%)


Stop Soon After 63 58 67 63 56 64 66 62 66

Keep Driving 17 21 15 13 29 19 13 18 15

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ –Restlessness (%)


Stop Soon After 58 44 54 66 44 58 69 57 61

Keep Driving 27 31 32 22 43 28 18 27 27

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Drowsiness (%)


Stop Soon After 45 44 54 38 48 50 36 44 45

Keep Driving 5 12 5 4 14 3 1 6 3

90



Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q15. If you were to experience any of the following warning signs while driving, would you stop straight away, stop soon after or keep driving?

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Slow Reactions (%)


Stop Soon After 49 49 57 41 52 49 44 51 46

Keep Driving 7 14 8 5 12 7 1 8 4

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Boredom (%)


Stop Soon After 45 38 40 48 31 47 59 45 46

Keep Driving 45 49 51 39 61 45 33 45 46

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Oversteering (%)


Stop Soon After 40 48 53 34 47 40 28 42 36

Keep Driving 8 13 9 6 15 7 2 8 7

Q15. Reactions to ‘Early Warning Signs’ – Microsleep\falling asleep at the wheel (%)


Stop Soon After 12 18 20 9 13 12 4 14 7

Keep Driving 2 8 3 1 7 1 1 3 2

91


Table A 26

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q16. For which of the following reasons might you continue to drive rather than take a break if you were feeling tired?

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q16. Reasons for Continuing to Drive, Even While Tired (%)

Nowhere to stop 55 43 49 57 57 54 61 54 57

Close to reaching destination

45 39 44 42 56 53 36 46 44

Not feeling tired enough 33 30 36 38 35 31 26 33 34

Don’t feel safe stopping in rest area

27 20 21 20 34 39 28 28 27

Waiting to get the journey over with

27 37 28 19 45 32 13 28 24

Believing I am able to stay awake

23 27 24 20 33 26 13 24 19

Wanting to reach destination at a reasonable hour

20 18 28 17 29 21 8 20 18

Not wanting to get off the freeway\highway

19 22 18 15 28 22 13 20 16

Not wanting to waste time

17 30 19 10 29 19 5 17 14

Having a deadline to meet

16 23 19 13 25 15 8 15 17

Don’t believe I will have a crash

11 10 12 9 16 14 4 11 9

None of these 12 14 9 15 4 9 20 12 13

92


Table A 27

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q17a. If you recognised that you were tired while driving on a long trip, how close would you have to be from your destination to ‘push on’ rather than take a break?

Table A 28

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q17b. What would make you stop if you were feeling tired on a long trip even if you were X hours and X Minutes [INSERT] from your destination? (Prompted)

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q17a. Acceptable Distance Away from Destination to ‘Push On’

Average minutes 55 78 68 49 63 53 38 58 47

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q17b. Reasons for Stopping – Long Trip (%)

Microsleep\falling asleep at the wheel

79 68 75 85 71 80 85 79 82

Almost crashed 71 47 67 80 69 71 76 69 77


61 54 59 65 58 65 57 59 65

Poor concentration 48 26 37 60 35 41 69 46 53

Pressure from passengers

47 43 50 51 51 46 38 46 48

Sore or tired eyes 27 27 25 29 20 27 30 27 27

Hungry\thirsty 26 26 33 18 34 28 20 27 22

None of these, would continue driving

2 12 2 2 3 1 1 3 2

93


Table A 29

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q18. What sorts of things have you done before you started your journey in order to avoid driver fatigue? (Unprompted) Q19. What sorts of things have you done during your trip to help you avoid driver fatigue? (Unprompted)

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q18. Fatigue Avoidance Strategies – Pre-journey (%)

Had a good nights sleep 72 57 66 76 65 75 82 71 75

Had a decent meal 18 9 15 23 15 18 18 17 20

Drink coffee\energy drinks

16 20 16 10 30 18 9 17 12

Planned the trip 9 6 6 12 6 8 15 8 14

Drink plenty of water 7 5 5 8 7 8 10 8 6

Made sure I had music I could get to easily

5 4 3 3 8 10 4 6 5

Nothing 5 5 4 6 6 3 3 4 5

Have a shower\bath 4 2 5 7 3 4 2 4 5

Have a big stretch\exercise

4 1 4 3 1 8 6 4 6

Had 2 drivers\organised drivers

3 4 8 3 2 2 2 3 3

Drink no alcohol 3 1 2 4 1 3 3 2 4

Don’t know 5 19 7 3 5 4 3 6 3

Q19. Fatigue Avoidance Strategies – During Journey (%)

Had a break\stopped\rest

51 34 44 69 35 45 60 44 64

Listen to radio or music 25 15 21 17 46 28 26 26 24

Talk to passengers 17 18 15 16 26 19 11 18 16

Drunk coffee\caffeine 13 16 15 11 12 13 13 13 11

Walk around\stretch 12 9 10 14 7 9 17 10 15

Put the windows down 11 5 12 8 12 17 9 11 12

Eaten a meal 10 3 8 11 7 12 10 9 12

Drink lots of water 9 5 8 8 8 10 15 10 7

Swap drivers 7 7 3 9 2 7 10 6 10

Sing to myself 6 9 2 4 4 11 6 6 5

Don’t know 4 13 6 3 4 4 3 5 2

Nothing 4 8 4 4 3 2 5 4 3

94


Table A 30

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – NET Dangerous (%)

Starting the trip with sleep debt

91 78 89 93 93 90 97 6 4

Not taking a break from driving if feeling tired

91 74 89 92 92 95 2 6 3

Driving for 6 hours non-stop

88 74 88 85 85 91 94 88 87

Not having regular breaks

83 74 81 84 82 82 90 84 81

Driving at a time when you would normally be sleeping

79 70 77 70 86 87 84 79 79

Beginning the trip after working all day

76 49 74 78 71 80 88 76 78

Driving during the daytime when likely to be sleepy (e.g. after lunch, at dawn)

49 40 48 52 37 52 53 47 53

Beginning the trip very early in the morning

28 41 28 24 30 31 23 28 28

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Starting the Trip with Sleep Debt (%)

Not at all dangerous 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0

Not very dangerous 4 13 7 4 3 3 1 5 4

Dangerous 28 41 32 23 33 28 19 28 27

Very dangerous 63 36 57 69 60 62 77 63 65

Don’t know 4 8 4 2 2 7 2 4 4

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip –Not taking a break from driving\feeling tired (%)



Dangerous 37 35 43 35 42 39 29 38 36

Very dangerous 54 40 46 57 50 56 62 52 58

Don’t know 4 6 3 3 3 3 6 4 3

95



Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Driving for 6 hours non-stop (%)

Not at all dangerous 1 4 1 1 2 0 0 1 -


Dangerous 28 39 30 28 25 24 28 28 28

Very dangerous 60 35 58 57 60 68 66 60 59

Don’t know 4 8 3 2 4 4 3 4 2

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Not having regular breaks (%)



Dangerous 47 47 51 44 52 45 48 48 46

Very dangerous 36 26 31 40 30 36 42 36 36

Don’t know 3 6 2 1 2 5 2 3 3

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Driving at a time when you would normally be sleeping (%)



Dangerous 38 42 37 32 48 40 35 38 38

Very dangerous 42 28 40 38 38 47 49 42 41

Don’t know 4 5 4 4 4 4 6 5 4

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Beginning the trip after working all day(%)



Dangerous 41 31 41 36 43 50 41 42 40

Very dangerous 35 19 33 42 28 30 48 34 38

Don’t know 3 6 3 3 2 2 4 3 3

96



Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q20. If you had to take a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town), how dangerous do you think each of the following situations would be?

Table A 31

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002). Q21. Have you ever had a crash or almost crashed because of your own fatigue while driving?

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Driving during the daytime when likely to be sleepy (%)



Dangerous 37 29 35 41 27 40 38 35 41

Very dangerous 12 11 12 11 10 12 15 12 12

Don’t know 3 6 3 3 3 2 5 4 3

Q20. Perceived Danger of Prompted Situations on a Long Trip – Starting the trip very early in the morning (%)



Dangerous 20 25 19 17 21 24 16 20 20

Very dangerous 8 17 9 6 9 6 7 8 8

Don’t know 3 6 2 2 3 3 3 3 2

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q21. Incidence of Fatigue Causing an Accident (%)

Total 13 16 18 17 15 10 5 13 15

97


Table A 32

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q22a. Thinking about the most recent time you had a crash/almost crashed because of fatigue, how long ago was this?

Table A 33

Base: All survey respondents (n=1002) Q23a. In principle, would you support making it illegal to drive when fatigued?

Total (n=131)


17-29 (n=12)

30-49 (n=30)

50+ (n=41)

17-29 (n=19)

30-49 (n=21)

50+ (n=8)

Metro (n=90)

Regional (n=41)

Q22. Time Since Accident Occurred (%)

<6 months ago 6 16 6 0 10 13 0 6 7

6 months-1year 9 8 9 4 21 13 0 10 9

1-2 years 14 35 24 3 16 16 0 17 8

2-5 years 17 25 14 19 26 9 0 21 7

5-10 years 20 8 34 16 16 25 12 19 24

>10 years ago 30 0 13 58 5 19 88 25 43

Don’t know\unsure 2 8 0 0 5 4 0 2 2

Total (n=1002)


17-29 (n=76)

30-49 (n=169)

50+ (n=241)

17-29 (n=122)

30-49 (n=221)

50+ (n=173)

Metro (n=732)

Regional (n=270)

Q23a. Support for Making Driving when Fatigued Illegal (%)

Agree 52 35 54 57 43 50 61 50 58

98


Table A 34

Base: Respondents in support (n=527). Q23b. If it were to be illegal, how do you think ‘driving while fatigued’ should be defined?

(Prompted) Q23c. What penalties do you feel would be appropriate for driving while fatigued? (Prompted)

Total (n=527)


17-29 (n=27)

30-49 (n=92)

50+ (n=138)

17-29 (n=53)

30-49 (n=111)

50+ (n=106)

Metro (n=369)

Regional (n=158)

Q23b. Legal Definition of Driving when Fatigued (%)

Driving after being awake 17hours

48 46 52 44 45 53 48 50 45

Driving having not slept in the last 24 hours

44 51 38 47 49 43 43 44 45

Both 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 - 1

Other 3 4 1 4 6 0 3 2 3

Don’t know 3 0 8 2 0 3 5 3 5

Q23c. Appropriate Penalties for Driving when Fatigued (%)

A fine 66 48 72 65 77 72 54 65 67

Demerit points 65 36 71 62 66 70 64 64 66

Loss of licence 30 30 42 29 29 29 25 31 30

Community service 23 29 26 26 19 23 19 23 23

Go to court 15 11 23 17 8 10 14 12 21

Jail 8 15 9 10 10 9 0 8 8

Education 1 4 0 2 2 1 2 2 1

Don’t know\unsure 10 4 10 13 4 6 12 8 14

Other 1 4 0 2 0 1 2 2 1

99


Table A 35

Base: Survey respondents not in support (n=208) Q23d. Why would you not support making it illegal to drive while fatigued? (Unprompted)

Total (n=208)


17-29 (n=29)

30-49 (n=37)

50+ (n=42)

17-29 (n=36)

30-49 (n=47)

50+ (n=17)

Metro (n=159)

Regional (n=49)

Q23d. Reasons Against Making Driving when Fatigued Illegal (%)

Too hard to police \ who would judge \ define it

54 45 62 57 47 53 59 49 70

Too many fines \ rules already 10 3 10 22 8 2 19 9 12

People have different tolerances to fatigue

10 7 10 19 8 2 13 7 17

Sometimes you just need to keep driving

9 9 2 4 11 18 6 10 6

Dangerous \ that is what causes a lot of accidents

6 0 3 10 11 6 6 6 6

Personal responsibility \ people should manage their own fatigue

6 6 2 12 6 2 11 5 8

Almost everyone drives fatigued \ e.g. new mothers

5 3 0 2 11 9 6 5 6

It’s a ridiculous idea 3 3 0 0 0 10 0 4 0

Nothing 2 3 0 0 5 2 6 2 2

Other 5 7 6 6 3 4 0 5 4

Don’t know 11 23 17 4 14 7 0 13 4

100


Appendix 2 – Qualitative Pre-task Questionnaire

PROJECT ‘NSW DIVERS’ – PRE GROUP TASK Overall Instructions This is a short exercise designed to get you to think about some of your more recent driving experiences which will then be explored further in the group discussion you are due to attend. Within the group discussion we will be concentrating on your experiences in driving on ‘long trips’ - for the purposes of our study these have been defined as journeys longer than two hours (generally outside your home city or town).

Please complete this questionnaire prior to attending the group. Completed questionnaire will be collected prior to the group discussion.

Note that none of your personal details will be in any way be connected with your responses, and it’s important that your answers are as open and honest as possible.

Please think about your most recent ‘long trip’ driving experience, and complete the following: Part 1 – Planning for Your Trip

How far in advance did you plan your most recent long trip?

Months: Weeks: Days:

In what way did you plan for your journey?

Part 2 – Trip Details

Start location/suburb

Destination

Approximate distance involved

Approximate duration of trip Hours: Minutes:

Main purpose of trip

Number of people travelled with

Relationship of passengers to you

How many different people shared

the driving? (circle response)

One Two Three Four

101


Part 3 - Breaks During Your Trip

How many stops were made between the start and the destination? (circle response)

None One Two Three Four Five Six or more

What was the reason/ purpose of each stop:

Stop One:

Stop Two:

Stop Three:

Stop Four:

Stop Five:

Stop Six:

What sort of facilities were you seeking at each stop location? (e.g. petrol, food etc.)

Stop One:

Stop Two:

Stop Three:

Stop Four:

Stop Five:

Stop Six:

What was the length (in time) of the longest driving period without stopping?

Hours: Minutes:

Part 4 – How You Felt as a Driver Please indicate below how you felt at each point in your most recent long trip using the descriptions listed.

Point in journey: How were you feeling? What do you think made you feel like this? (e.g. 10 minute power nap, no sleep before trip etc.)

At the start of the journey(circle response)

Refreshed/alert Standard/normal Inattentive Restless Slightly tired/drowsy Exhausted

Half way through your journey(circle response)


At the end of your journey (circle response)


102


Appendix 3 – Qualitative Pre-task Summary of Outcomes

Trip Planning

The majority of planning for long trips was undertaken for a period up to two weeks before

departure, with most planning relating to preparation of vehicles, and planning of destination details

(accommodation and activities).

Males were more likely than females to indicate that they did not do any pre-planning for their trip.

Trip Distances and Times

The majority were undertaking trips of more than 400km.

More than one in ten were for distances in excess of 1,000 km.

Most trips were greater than three hours in duration.

A few were undertaking trips over a day in length.

Passengers and Driver Sharing

Males were most likely to travel by themselves, in fact, around two thirds of trips by males were

undertaken by a single driver.

Most others travelled with one or two other passengers (spouse and/or child, or friend).

However, a reasonably large proportion drove with 4 or more.

Stops Made

Relatively few drove straight through, however around one in five only made one stop.

Participants were most likely to have made two stops on their trip.

103


Reasons for Stopping

Most first stops were for toilet breaks.

Fuel and food became more prevalent with subsequent stops.

Interestingly, few referenced the need to stretch, relax or refresh themselves as a reason for

stopping.

Longest Driving Time

For most the longest stretch of driving was around 2 hours (or less).

However, almost one in five had driven for a four hour (or more) stint (most likely to be males).

How They Were Feeling During the Trip

Feelings at the Start of the Trip

The vast majority indicated feeling ‘refreshed’ or ‘normal’ at the start of their trip.

However, around one in ten indicated that they were ‘slightly tired/drowsy’ at the outset.

Feelings Half Way Through the Trip

The majority indicated feeling that they felt ‘normal’ mid way through their trip.

However, around one third were either ‘restless’ or ‘slightly tired/drowsy’.

Feelings at the End of the Trip

Only around one quarter indicated that they still felt ‘normal’.

Most were ‘slightly tired/drowsy’ or ‘exhausted’.

104


Appendix 4 – Main Quantitative Questionnaire

CRS Driver Fatigue Questionnaire Job No. 8569-W

Thank you for participating in this important study. Please be assured that all responses will

remain confidential and anonymous. Please read the instructions for each question and be as

open and honest as possible when completing this questionnaire.

If you have any issues with the survey, please lodge a support ticket by clicking the link at the

bottom of the page.

S1. Which of the following NSW licences, other than a learner’s permit, do you currently

hold? Please tick as many that apply MR

Unrestricted/full car licence 1

P1 car licence (red P plate) 2

P2 car licence (green P plate) 3

Motorcycle licence 4

Motorcycle P1 licence (red p plate) 5

Motorcycle P2 licence (green p plate) 6

Heavy vehicle licence 7

Other (please specify) 98

None of these 99

S2. What is your postcode? CHECK QUOTAS

S3. What is your gender?

Male 1

Female 2 CHECK QUOTAS

S4. Which of the following age groups do you fall into?

17-20 years

21-25 years

26-29 years

30-39 years

40-49 years

50-59 years

60-69 years

70-79 years CHECK QUOTAS

80 years or older - TERMINATE

105


S5. Roughly how often would you say you drive (this may include driving a vehicle owned

by someone else)?

Every day 1

A few times a week 2

A few times a fortnight 3

A few times a month 4

Every 2-3 months 5

Every 3-6 months 6

Every 6-12 months 7 - TERMINATE

Less than once a year 8 - TERMINATE

S6. On an average week, how many hours would spend driving a vehicle?

Less than 1 hour a week

Between 1-2 hrs/week

Between 3-5 hrs/week (on average 30 mins/day)

Between 6-10 hrs/week (on average 1 hr/day)

Between 11-15 hrs/week (on average 2 hrs/day)

Between 16-20 hrs/week (on average 2.5 hrs/day)

Between 21-30 hrs/week (on average 3.5 hrs/day)

More than 30 hrs/week

S7. What type of vehicle do you drive most often?

Car

4WD or SUV

Ute

Van

Motorbike/scooter

Bus

Heavy Vehicle

CHECK QUOTAS

SECTION ONE: DRIVING PROFILE

Q1. What percentage of your weekly driving would you say is for work or personal

reasons?For the purposes of this survey, please include commuting to work as

‘personal’ reasons.

Personal

Work

ADD UP TO 100%

106


WHEN ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS IN THE REST OF THIS SURVEY, PLEASE THINK

ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL DRIVING EXPERIENCES (INCLUDING COMMUTING) AND

NOT DRIVING FOR WORK.

Q2. What percentage of your driving is done between 10 pm and 6am?

0%

10-20%

20-30%

30-40%

40-50%

50-60%

60-70%

70-80%

80-90%

90-100%

Don’t know/Unsure

Throughout this survey, when we refer to a ‘trip’, this means a one-way journey

from the beginning of your trip to your destination.

Q3a. In the last week, how many times did you drive on a short trip (less than 2 hours,

within your home city/town)?

I did not make a short trip 1

1-2 times 2

3-5 times 3

6-10 times 4

11-20 times 5

More than 20 times 6

Don’t know/unsure 99 – SKIP TO Q4a

Q3b. On your most recent short trip, how many breaks from driving did you take?

None 1

1 2

2 3

3 4

More than 3 5

Don’t know/Unsure 99

107


Q4a. Now thinking about the last 12 months, how many times did you drive on a long trip

(more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town)?

I did not make a long trip 1 - SKIP TO Q4g

Once 2

Twice 3

3-5 times 4

6-10 times 5

11-20 times 6

More than 20 times 7

Don’t know/unsure 99 - SKIP TO Q4g

Now think about the most recent long trip you made in the last 12 months. A long trip is

considered one which takes more than 2 hours from the beginning of your journey to your

destination and takes you outside of your home city/town.

Q4b. On your most recent long trip how many hours did it take to travel from the

beginning of your journey to your destination? (Please only think about driving time)

Just on 2 hours 1

Between 2-3 hours 2

Between3-4 hours 3

Between4-6 hours 4

Between6-8 hours 5

Between8-10 hours 6

Between10-12 hours 7

Between 12-14 hours 8

More than 14 hours 9


Q4c. On that trip how many breaks from driving did you take?

I did not take a break 1 – SKIP TO Q4g

1 break 2

2 breaks 3

3 breaks 4

4 breaks 5

5-6 breaks 6

7-8 breaks 7

9-10 breaks 8

More than 10 breaks 9

Don’t know/unsure 99

108


Q4d. When you did take a break from driving on that trip, how long did your average break

last?

Less than 5 minutes 1

5-10 minutes 2

11-15 minutes 3

16-20 minutes 4

21-25 minutes 5

26-30 minutes 6

31-40 minutes 7

41-59 minutes 8

60-90 minutes 9

More than 90 minutes 10


Q4e. What was the longest period you drove on that trip without taking a break from

driving?

Just on 2 hours 1

Between 2-3 hours 2

Between3-4 hours 3

Between4-6 hours 4

Between6-8 hours 5

Between8-10 hours 6



More than 14 hours 9


Q4f. On that long trip, which of the following places did you stop to take a break? Please

tick as many that apply MR

Fast food restaurant or family restaurant 1

Petrol station 2

At a service centre where there is both a take-away and a petrol station 3

A town 4

At a Driver Reviver site 5

On the side of the road 6

In a rest area 7

At shops, café 8

Place of interest/scenic beauty spot 9

Hotel/guest house 10

Friend/relatives house 11


109



None of these 99

Q4g. Thinking generally about driving on a long trip (more than 2 hours, out of town),

how often do you tend to take a break from driving?

Every 15 minutes 1

Every 30 minutes 2

Every 45 minutes 3

Every 60 minutes (1 hour) 4

Every 90 minutes (1 ½ hours) 5

Every 2 hours 6

Every 2 ½ hours 7

Every 3 hours 8

Every 4 hours 9

Every 5 hours 10

Less often 11

I would not take a break 12


Q5. Thinking generally about driving on a long trip, what prompts you to take a break?

Please tick as many that applyROTATE

Need toilet/bathroom break 1

Hungry/thirsty 2

Feel tired/drowsy 3

Start to lose concentration 4

Need to stretch legs 5

Need to take a break from staring at the road/refresh eyes 6

Reach a set journey time/ number of kms 7

Need petrol 8

Reach a town/pleasant area 9

See a rest area 10

See a Stop.Revive.Survive sign 11

Passenger requests a break 12

Young children in the car 13


None of these 99

110


SECTION TWO: ATTITUDES TOWARDS DRIVING

Q6. How important do you feel it is for you to do the following when driving?

Please use the slider to show how important you feel the following are, where 0 is not at all

important and 10 is extremely important




Never start a trip if you’re already feeling tired

Keep below the legal blood alcohol (BAC) limit, and if in doubt don’t drive



Q7a. There are four factors which have a major influence on death and serious injury on

NSW roads. Using the slider below, where 0 is not at all serious and 10 is extremely

serious; please show how serious you believe the following factors to be on death and

serious injury on NSW roads:

ROTATE

Speeding

Drink driving

Not wearing a seat belt

Driver fatigue

Q7b. Please indicate how dangerous you find each of the following driving behaviours by

ranking them from 1 to 4 – where 1 is the most dangerous, and 4 is the least

dangerous of the behaviours presented.

Please rank from 1 to 4.RANK ORDER

Driving with an illegal blood alcohol (BAC) level of 0.05 __

Driving at 70km/h in a 60 speed zone __

Driving after being awake for 17 hours __

Using a hand held mobile phone __

111


Q7c. Which, if any, of these four driving behaviours do you believe are morally wrong?Please

tick as many that apply MR

Driving with an illegal blood alcohol (BAC) level of 0.05 1

Driving at 70km/h in a 60 speed zone 2

Driving after being awake for 17 hours 3

Using a hand held mobile phone 4

None of these 99

Q8. We are now going to show you some statements that other drivers have made about

driving. Please show how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements

when thinking about your own driving. ROTATE STATEMENTS

Please use the slider to show your level of agreement, where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly

agree.

Disagree

Strongly

Disagree

Slightly Neither

Agree

Slightly

Agree

Strongly

My driving is not affected by missing a

few hours sleep the night before 01 02 03 04 05

I get frustrated driving on a long trip if I

have to stop before I really need to 01 02 03 04 05

I would be prepared to miss out on

doing something I like in order to get a

good nights sleep

01 02 03 04 05

I am a responsible driver 01 02 03 04 05

I’d rather have a coffee/energy drink

than stop for a break 01 02 03 04 05

I plan where I will stop for breaks on a

long trip 01 02 03 04 05

When I have to get somewhere by a

certain time, I know I can keep driving

on a long trip without stopping

01 02 03 04 05

I wouldn’t start a long trip unless I was

well rested 01 02 03 04 05

Being tired doesn’t change my ability to

drive 01 02 03 04 05

Driving when I am tired is not really

dangerous 01 02 03 04 05

112


I experience driver fatigue on short trips

as well as long trips 01 02 03 04 05

It is dangerous for the average driver to

ignore the early warning signs of driver

fatigue

01 02 03 04 05

It is dangerous for me to ignore the

early warning signs of driver fatigue 01 02 03 04 05

I would prefer to keep going even if I

was tired than stop for a break 01 02 03 04 05

If other people are in the car I’m more

likely to stop 01 02 03 04 05

I always make sure I get a good night’s

sleep before starting on a long trip* 01 02 03 04 05

When tired on a long trip, I try to make

it to the next town before stopping* 01 02 03 04 05

I regularly use rest areas to take a

break* 01 02 03 04 05

On a long trip I try to have as few stops

as possible* 01 02 03 04 05

If I’m within an hour of home and I feel

tired, I won’t take a break and will just

‘push on’ to get there*

01 02 03 04 05

When I feel really tired on a short trip I

would be prepared to pull over* 01 02 03 04 05

I wouldn’t consider stopping on a short

trip, even if I felt tired 01 02 03 04 05

I don’t believe I will crash if I drive when

I am fatigued 01 02 03 04 05

SECTION THREE: DRIVER FATIGUE

Q9a. Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a long trip (more than 2 hours,

outside of town) where you’ve felt quite tired?

Yes 1

No 2 - SKIP TO Q10a

Don’t know/unsure 99 - SKIP TO Q10a

113


Q9b. How often does this happen on a long trip?

Very rarely 1

Rarely 2

Sometimes 3

Often 4

Very often 5

Q9c. Thinking about the last time you were driving but felt quite tired on a long trip, what

time of day was it?

Early in the morning (6am-9am) 1

Morning (9am-12noon) 2

Afternoon (12 noon-4pm) 3

Dusk/Twilight (4pm-8pm) 4

Evening (8pm-midnight) 5

Night (midnight-6am) 6


Q10a. Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a short trip (less than 2 hours,

within your home city/town) where you’ve felt quite tired?

Yes 1

No 2 - SKIP TO Q11a

Don’t know/Unsure 99 - SKIP TO Q11a

Q10b. How often does this happen on a short trip?

Very rarely 1

Rarely 2

Sometimes 3

Often 4

Very often 5

Q10c. Thinking about the last time you were driving but felt quite tired on a short trip, what

time of day was it?

Early in the morning (6am-9am) 1

Morning (9am-12noon) 2

Afternoon (12 noon-4pm) 3

Dusk/Twilight (4pm-8pm) 4

Evening (8pm-midnight) 5

Night (midnight-6am) 6


114


Q11a. Thinking about drivers in general and not specifically your own behaviour, what do you

believe are the most common causes of driver fatigue? Please list as many causes as

you can think of.

OPEN ENDED, LARGE TEXT BOX

Q11b. Please rate the following on how much you think they affect driver fatigue, where 0 is

no impact, and 10 is a high impact.

ROTATE

Not enough sleep before going on the trip

Lack of sleep built up over a number of days

Driving at night /during normal sleep times

Starting a trip after a day’s work/late in the day

Starting a trip straight after getting up / waking up

Spending a long time driving

Not taking rest breaks / enough breaks

Sitting in the same position for a long time

Lack of excitement/stimulus

Drinking alcohol before driving

Driving during the daytime when likely to be sleepy (e.g. after lunch, at dawn)

Q12a. What do you understand the term ‘sleep debt’ to mean?


Q12b. Sleep debt means a lack of sleep built up over a number of days. Have you ever

experienced sleep debt?

Yes, very frequently 1

Yes, fairly often 2

Yes, sometimes 3

Yes, but quite rarely 4

No, I have never experienced sleep dept 5

Q13. The symptoms of driver fatigue can be referred to as ‘early warning signs’ of fatigue.

What do you think are the ‘early warning signs’ of driver fatigue? Please list as many as

possible.


115


Q14. In the last 12 months, have you experienced any of the following early warning signs

while driving? Please tick as many that apply

ROTATE

Yawning 1

Poor concentration / day dreaming 2

Blurry vision 3

Sore or tired eyes / increased blinking / heavy eyes / rubbing eyes 4

Restlessness 5

Drowsiness (feeling sleepy) 6

Slow reactions 7

Boredom 8

Feeling irritable 9

Having difficulty staying within marked lanes 10

Oversteering 11

Microsleep / falling asleep at the wheel 12

None of these 99

Q15. If you were to experience any of the following warning signs while driving, would you

stop straight away, stop soon after or keep driving?*

TABLE (STOP STRAIGHT AWAY, STOP SOON AFTER WARNING

SIGN, KEEP DRIVING, SINGLE RESPONSE EACH SIGN)

Yawning 1

Poor concentration 2

Sore or tired eyes 3

Restlessness 4

Drowsiness 5

Slow reactions 6

Boredom 7

Oversteering 8

116


Q16. For which of the following reasons might you continue to drive rather than take a

break if you were feeling tired? Please tick as many that apply

ROTATE, MR

Not feeling very tired 1

Not wanting to waste time 2

Having a deadline to meet 3

Nowhere to stop 4

Don’t feel safe stopping in a rest area 5

Wanting to reach destination at a reasonable hour 6

Wanting to get the journey over with 7

Not wanting to get off the freeway/highway 8

Believing I am able to stay awake 9

Don’t believe I will have a crash 10

Close to reaching destination 11

None of these 99

Q17a. If you recognised that you were tired while driving on a long trip, how close would

you have to be to your destination to ‘push on’ rather than take a break?

Mins hours (open box to complete next to each)

Q17b. What would make you stop if you were feeling tired on a long trip even if you were X

hours and X Minutes [INSERT FROM Q17a] from your destination? Please tick as many

that apply

ROTATE

Sore or tired eyes 1

Poor concentration 2

Pressure from passengers 3

Almost crashed/near miss 4

Need toilet/bathroom break 5

Hungry/thirsty 6

Microsleep / falling asleep at the wheel 7

None of these, would continue driving 99

Q18. What sorts of things have you done before you started your journey in order to avoid

driver fatigue?*

OPENENDED, LARGE TEXT BOX

Q19. What sorts of things have you done during your trip to help you avoid driver

fatigue?*

OPENENDED, LARGE TEXT BOX

117


SECTION FIVE: PERCEIVED DANGER

Q20. If you had to take a long trip(more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town),

how dangerous do you think each of the following situations would be?

ROTATE TABLE, SINGLE RESPONSE PER SITUATION

Not at all

dangerous

Not very

dangerous Dangerous

Very

dangerous

Don’t

know/unsu

re

Beginning the trip after

working all day 01 02 03 04 99

Driving at a time when you

would normally be sleeping 01 02 03 04 99


01 02 03 04 99

Not having regular breaks 01 02 03 04 99

Beginning the trip very early in

the morning 01 02 03 04 99

Not taking a break from

driving if feeling tired 01 02 03 04 99

Driving during the daytime

when likely to be sleepy (e.g.

after lunch, at dawn)

01 02 03 04 99

Starting the trip with sleep

debt (a lack of sleep built up

over a number of days)

01 02 03 04 99

Q21. Have you ever had a crash or almost crashed because of your own fatigue while

driving?

Yes 1

No 2 - SKIP TO Q23a

Don’t know/unsure 99 - SKIP TO Q23a

118


Q22a. Thinking about the most recent time you had a crash/almost crashed because of

fatigue, how long ago was this?

Less than 6 months ago 1

6 months – a year ago 2

1-2 years ago 3

2-5 years ago 4

5-10 years ago 5

More than 10 years ago 6


Q22b. Thinking about this crash/almost crash, were you driving on a short trip or a long trip?

Short trip (less than 2 hours, within your home city/town) 1

Long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of your home city/town) 2


Q23a. In principle, would you support making it illegal to drive while fatigued?

Yes 1

No 2 – SKIP TO Q23d

Don’t know/unsure 99 – SKIP TO Q23d

Q23b. If it were to be illegal, how do you think ‘driving while fatigue’ should be defined?

Driving after being awake for 17 hours (equivalent crash risk to an illegal BAC of 0.05)

Driving having not slept in the last 24 hours (equivalent crash risk to an illegal BAC of

around 0.1 - 0.15)

Other (please specify)

Q23c. What penalties do you feel would be appropriate for driving while fatigued? Please tick

as many that apply

ROTATE, MR

A fine 1

Demerit points 2

Loss of licence 3

Community service 4

Go to court 5

Jail 6



None of the above 99

119


[IF CODE 2 Q23a, ASK]

Q23d Why would you not support making it illegal to drive while fatigued?

OPEN ENDED

SECTION SIX: DEMOGRAPHICS

Finally just a few questions to ensure we’ve asked a good cross-section of people.

Qi. Do you do shift work?

Yes

No

Qii. What is the highest education level you have achieved so far?

Primary school only 1

Secondary school 2

Apprenticeship/ certificate/ diploma 3

Bachelor degree 4

Post graduate qualification (Masters/PhD etc.) 5

Refused 99

Qiii. Which of the following categories best describes your household income before tax?

Under $20,000 1

$20,000-$49,999 2

$50,000-$79,999 3

$80,000-$99,999 4

$100,000-$129,999 5

$130,000-$149,999 6

$150,000-$199,999 7

$200,000-$249,999 8

$250,000+ 9

Don’t know 98

Prefer not to answer 99

Qiv. What is your current occupation?

Manager/Administrator

Professional

Para-professional

Clerical

Sales person

Tradesperson

Plant and machine operators

120


Labourers

Full time student

Home duties

Hospitality worker

Taxi/hire car driver

Bus driver

Heavy vehicle driver

Courier or other professional driver

Unemployed

Retired

Sickness/invalid beneficiary

Refused

Other (please specify)

* Question used in Driver Behaviour Index

121


Appendix 5 – Details of Driver Behaviour Index

The following questions were used to construct a behavioural index. Each respondent was allocated a

score according to the points system below.The higher the score, the more negative the driving

behaviour:

Question Behaviour Points

Q9a: Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a long trip (more than 2 hours, outside of town) where you’ve felt quite tired?

Yes +11

Q4b: Have you driven at any time in the last 12 months on a short trip (less than 2 hours, within your home city/town) where you’ve felt quite tired?

Yes +6

Q18: What sort of things have you done, if any, BEFORE you started driving in order to avoid driver fatigue?

Good nights sleep Avoid driving when normally asleep Travel in daylight Avoid driving after full days work Not plan to drive too far in one day

-4 -4 -4 -4 -4

Q19: What sort of things have you done, if any, DURING your trip to help you avoid fatigue?

Regular breaks / pull over and stop /Stop and eat / Stop and walk Have a short nap / sleep Share the driving

-7 -7 -7

Q15: If you were to experience any of the following warning signs while driving, would you stop straight away, Stop soon after, or keep driving’?

Yawning Poor concentration Sore or tired eyes Restlessness Drowsiness Slow reactions

Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't

122


Boredom Oversteering

know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2 Keep driving = +3, Stop soon after = +1, Don't know = +2

Q8: I am going to read out some statements that other drivers have made about driving. Please show how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements when thinking about your own driving.

Good nights sleep (disagree) Try to make to next town (agree) Regularly use rest areas (disagree) Try to have as few stops as possible (agree) If one hour away and feeling tired I would keep driving to get home (agree) Prepared to pull over if really tired (disagree)

+3 +3 +3 +3

+3

+3

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