A Drive report reveals the results of a survey that showed 29% of more than 4,000 Australian motorists admit they have fallen asleep while driving.
Research into driver behaviour has tagged fatigue as a key killer on Australian roads, with one in five NSW drivers admitting to falling asleep behind the wheel.
A survey of more than 4000 Australian motorists by GIO Insurance found that 29 per cent of young NSW drivers said they had fallen asleep at the wheel, and that only a quarter of drivers follow recommended two-hourly break schedules.
The survey lines up with with Transport for NSW data that suggests fatigue played a role in an average of 17 per cent of road fatalities each year since 2000.
It comes as road authorities look to reverse a rising road toll in NSW, where 14 people died across the Easter Holiday period last year.
The state government has run a campaign telling drivers “Don’t trust your tired self”, while NSW Police are expected to launch a significant road safety campaign this week, along with a double demerits period intended to keep drivers in line during the Autumn break.
