Driver fatigue – Fleet managers guide to keeping their fleet and drivers safe on the roads

In Australia, driver fatigue accounts for 20-30% of road crashes. Driver fatigue is the feeling of being sleepy, tired or exhausted and is your body’s way of signalling that you need to rest or sleep.

Fatigue-related road accidents are twice as likely to be fatal than other crashes, often because of delayed driver reaction times and the resulting inability to use crash avoidance manoeuvres. In fact, driver fatigue can be as dangerous as drink driving, affecting your concentration and judgement as well as slowing your reaction time. Research shows that being awake for about 17 hours has a similar effect on your driving as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05.

Fleet managers have a significant role to play in ensuring the safety of drivers and vehicles within their fleet. Beyond logistical concerns, they must prioritise strategies to mitigate driver fatigue and promote safe driving practices.

Technology and data:

Businesses have begun utilising technology and data solutions to bolster fleet safety. The integration of data tracking and insights including telematics, driver logs and GPS offers an opportunity to monitor driver behaviour and identifying early warning signs of fatigue. This real-time visibility enables fleet managers to intervene to reduce the risks for their drivers and ensure road safety for all.

 FleetCard’s partnership with telematics and GPS providers grants customers access to elevated technological tools to keep track of these driver habits and trends, helping managers to determine where improvement is required within their fleet.

This technology also helps drivers and managers to understand the key signs of fatigue for each individual and how the signs appear in their driving habits. This can include drifting in the lane, trouble keeping their head up, difficulty remembering the last few kilometres, variations in driving speed and delayed reactions.

Coaching for Safe Driving:

Effect fleet safety extends beyond surveillance and data. Drivers need to know and understand the signs of fatigues so they can intervene before anyone else needs too.

The easiest way to prevent fatigue is sleep. However, if this is not possible due to a drive, then it’s teaching drivers and fleet managers about careful planning to have regular stops and taking powernaps along the journey. Research shows that even a small sleep or powernap of 15-20 minutes can temporarily lessen the effects of fatigue for up to 1-2 hours.

Caffeine intake immediately prior to a 15–20-minute nap may provide additional benefits, as the alerting benefits of the caffeine will likely kick-in upon waking. However, it’s important for drivers to remember that once you are fatigued, the only cure is sleep.

At FleetCard, we recognise the importance of leveraging technology solutions to safeguard drivers and vehicles on Australia’s roads. Through smart monitoring and data insights, we help maximize fleet safety and minimize the risks associated with driver fatigue.

We are committed to ensuring fleet safety and empowering our customers to navigate the roads with confidence.

To join us in the journey towards safer roads for all drivers, learn about our fuel cards and find out more about our offerings visit: https://www.fleetcard.com.au/