Driver Fatigue - Road Trips

[4stanger]

As humans we all have different strengths & weakness's.
I only hope that the humans coming towards me on the highway have enough common sense to realise that they are fit to drive!

[Vincenzo]

Fatigue, can depend on a lot of things. My personal opinion is how good the car handles and runs can be up to 50% of this. Having faith in your car in an unexpected emergency stop can make a big difference.

I've done two exceptionally long trips - Darwin to Townsville non stop. I think it was about 2,400km in 23 hours. had three others in the car who couldn't drive but kept me awake. On arrival I slept for 35 hours straight - not good.


Second long trip was driving my new AU 111 XR6 back from Ipswitch to Darwin in 2010. Day 1 Ipswitch to Canberra. Day 2 Canberra to Mildura. Day 3 Mildura to Port Augusta via Adelaide. Day 4 Port Augusta to The Alice. Day 5 The Alice to Katherine. Day 6 Katherine to Darwin.

Some of these days were more than 1,000km but I arrived fresh and relaxed at the end of every day.

[Dusty1]

Vincenzo, must have been a good deal to do that drive!

When I was on the road, I did over 900 through the Wimmera and Malley (sic?) seeing people starting at 6 AM in Hawthorn. When I was done, I almost poured out of the car.

I reckon I could do it again, but I was pretty tired at the end and now days would have broken it up with a light lunch and some time out. Couldn't do it then, it would now.

[Vincenzo]

Nah, no choice Dusty. It should have been a three day trip back via Mt Isa but some bloody big rain storm stopped us going that way. We flew into Brisbane Boxing day and departed on the 27th. Yes it was a good deal - $8,400 for an AU S111 XR6 Manual with 142,XXXkm.

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by Dusty1

Vincenzo, must have been a good deal to do that drive!

When I was on the road, I did over 900 through the Wimmera and Malley (sic?) seeing people starting at 6 AM in Hawthorn. When I was done, I almost poured out of the car.

I reckon I could do it again, but I was pretty tired at the end and now days would have broken it up with a light lunch and some time out. Couldn't do it then, it would now.

I am much the same, I could drive all day long when I was younger with vehicles that that had limited range on a full tank that would break up the trip, I used to do Rockhampton to Brisbane (650km) in 6 and half hours in the 80's on the Bruce Highway and that was with one fuel stop going no faster than 110km/h. At the moment I would recommend using the Burnett Highway to Gympie as it is quicker because of the ongoing roadworks (will bwe good when completed).
Now a days, the trip is planned for toilet and meal breaks, I find it helps if the passenger/s is awake and keeps conversation, I also find smooth perfect highways make me fatigued, bumpy type roads keep me alert especially for skippies (kangaroos) and the odd farmer jones driving his tractor around the upcoming blind corner or crest.

[JC]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Too many people think they are an hero and can drive for 14 hours a day. They can't...they're human. Then combine this with people who never venture outside the big cities apart from a couple of trips a year and this breeds disaster.

I think they should hammer fatigue hard with car drivers the same way they do with us train drivers. I would rather be approaching an oncoming car on the highway with a wide awake driver doing 15kph over the limit than a half asleep fatigued driver doing 10kph under.
When we had the Landcruiser we were coming back from Rocky and a Commodore coming the other way suddenly lurched to one side, flicked the back out, and spun across the highway in front of us to disappear down into a roadside ditch. We slammed on the brakes and hit the hazard lights, and everyone else stopped behind us. The guy was out of the car which had amazingly not rolled, and was wandering around dazed talking on his phone. He said he was OK, and was yelling at someone about picking him up...and bringing a trailer. He'd obviously fallen asleep.

The trick (which I have said before) about being "tired" and being "fatigued" is that you will know when you are "tired", but you won't know when you're "fatigued" which is much more dangerous. This is when they tell us out here that it's important for each of the two drivers in the cab to keep an eye on each other during the shift for warning signs of fatigue because the other guy usually won't notice what's going on. Same with a car trip.

Leave early, and stop for breakfast. Then drive for a while and stop for lunch. Have an afternoon break somewhere as well. This breaks up the day into a few two or three hour runs.

Good point about fuel range...our Falcon can probably do well over 600km out of a tank minimum, but we still stop every couple of hours for a stretch and a walk around.

2 weeks ago we did the return trip from Toowoomba to Canberra via Tamworth, Maitland etc. We had a very clear run - I probably only overtook 20 cars between Toowoomba and Maitland, but heaps from there to Canberra. The trip took us 15:45 including a long stop (1 hr) in Maitland - and I drove the whole way. The last 150km were tough (night time, and rest of the car asleep) but I stopped when I need a freshen up and a stretch - so that was twice between Maitland and Canberra to make sure I was OK (dunny, water on face and coffee). I was always prepared to pull over for the night though, and the missus would also have taken a stint, but to be honest, she isn't a long distance traveller so is half asleep most of the time.

Long story short, I did it, but would never go that way again - our usual route through Dubbo/Cowra is 14 hours max, and while long, it is quite an easy trip with stops every 2 hours. I am getting to the age where anything over 10 hours is pretty taxing though.

I have driven some roads in NZ in a campervan, and we planned to drive each day for 4 hours plus/minus an hour or so becasue we were sight seeing at the same time. The going can be slow over the mountains, but generally we were able to travel at 100 or thereabouts (NZ drivers we found to be very slow compared to Aussie drivers/roads). The longest drive we did was 6 hours around Queenstown somewhere, and that was maybe 300km from memory??

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by flappist

One of the problems with the fanatical "speed" dogma is that a 1000km trip at 100km/h takes 10 hours whereas at 125km/h only takes 8 which will allow for two 1 hour breaks to cover the same distance in the same time.

Thanks for restating that once again. I don't know how many times it has to be said to have any effect. I've been putting it to good effect in Europe (where distances are pretty much as great as Australia contrary to popular myth) while the law allows me.

Even the Skoda doing over 1,000 km on a tank doesn't tempt me to skip rest breaks, it just means you don't waste time and money at the bowser and have more time and a nicer choice of places to stop instead of a smelly servo!

[prydey]

glad i don't travel with some of the people on here. would take forever to get anywhere 3-400km in a day?? sheesh, thats a week to get to brissie from adelaide!! i'll stick to my 1.5 days thanks, wife and kids on board and everything. what a menace to society i am!!

[FGII-XR6]

apply heavy vehicle fatigue management standards to all road users after all you still get fatigued in a car

[marlin351]

Over here in the west just to go on a fishing trip I will drive 15-20 hours straight. I figure a good day at work is 12-15 hours so we should all be able to do that. If I do feel tired/unfocused I will always pull over and sleep. Some mates can drive 20 hours then launch a boat and go fishing for the day.( that is beyond me )

[Rodge]

I'm 50 now and one thing i'm seeing on this thread is some people being honest enough to admitt that long stints behind the wheel are tougher as you get older, which they undoubtably are. I'm very happy for this thread to morph into how people cope with long drives as I fully appreciate Australia is a vast country.

Clearly I don't do many long stints behind the wheel these days as otherwise I probably wouldn't have started this thread but I reckon its good practice to:-
Stop for a drink / coffee/ toilet / rest break for 10-15 minutes every 2-2.5 hours
Stop for a full hour for a meal / proper rest break every 4-5 hours.
Share the driving if at all possible.

Are there any other coping stratagies people use to keep them alert and avoid fatigue ? I guess stretching or a bit of light excercise or a bit of a walk at meal times is a good idea ?

I am a little surprised anyone would consider driving for more than 12 hours straight, even with rest and meal breaks... surely they are a hazard to themselves and more importantly other road users after 12 hours on the road Why not fly or stop overnight somewhere ?

[Dusty1]

I reckon the fatigue management thingo in the Falcon/Territory. Works well, tells me if I've been driving for two hours, and that's a good time to stop for a walk or whizer.

I haven't done a long stint in a while but I reckon about 600-800 a day would be achievable easily these days with newer cars and better (mostly roads).

I did Grafton to Gold Coast in January easily, not a huge distance, but it was my first time on that road when it was raining 80% of the way. Stopped twice that was it. Not as huge as others, but for me it was a long trip after not doing them for some time.

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by Arnaldo

As humans we all have different strengths & weakness's.
I only hope that the humans coming towards me on the highway have enough common sense to realise that they are fit to drive!

I will requote my message.

Good for you if you can drive 7 days straight or whatever without a break. You are a hero
But please if you fall asleep at the wheel or have some sought of siezure, please don't do it around me or my family on the roads,
USE COMMON SENSE!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Arnaldo

Good for you if you can drive 7 days straight or whatever without a break. You are a hero
!

cheers i aim to please

[wrongwaynorris]

I am 52 and can no longer do what I did effortlessly in my youth . I now stop at the first sign of tiredness and have a half hour to an hours kip and wake up totally refreshed having taken the edge off my tiredness and continue my journey safely . Did it only yesterday returning from Casino to home .

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Hah...coffee doesn't work. Caffeine-filled drinks don't work either.

I take it that they don't work on you, everybody is different. What keeps some people alert does nothing for others.

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by prydey

cheers i aim to please

Send a resume to FPR, they need great co drivers like you at bathurst lol.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Arnaldo

Send a resume to FPR, they need great co drivers like you at bathurst lol.

well j.mac did fall asleep and cost valuable track position....

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by Arnaldo

Send a resume to FPR, they need great co drivers like you at bathurst lol.

Who'd read it ? Tim Edwards has been asleep at the wheel for years .

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by prydey

glad i don't travel with some of the people on here. would take forever to get anywhere 3-400km in a day?? sheesh, thats a week to get to brissie from adelaide!! i'll stick to my 1.5 days thanks, wife and kids on board and everything. what a menace to society i am!!

I hope you never experience the affects of fatigue and its consequences, I have seen the consequences of it in my own family and it destroys some people lives..... something for all to think about.

[FGII-XR6]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I take it that they don't work on you, everybody is different. What keeps some people alert does nothing for others.

although they keep you awake you aree still fatigued and therefor unsafe on the road your reactions are impaired and this it the problem with fatigue. we know when we are tired but often don't know we are impaired by fatigue

[prydey]

Originally Posted by au3xr6

although they keep you awake you aree still fatigued and therefor unsafe on the road your reactions are impaired and this it the problem with fatigue. we know when we are tired but often don't know we are impaired by fatigue

i think you're preaching to the wrong person

Originally Posted by trublu

I hope you never experience the affects of fatigue and its consequences, I have seen the consequences of it in my own family and it destroys some people lives..... something for all to think about

.

in march, due the floods in NSW i couldn't go the normal route so went further north through broken hill, wilcannia, cobar etc. if i pulled over to have a rest, i'd probably get the wheels nicked off me car

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I take it that they don't work on you, everybody is different. What keeps some people alert does nothing for others.

My Mrs does find it rather bizarre that I can fall asleep after drinking a red bull.

[gtxb67]

some people seem to not realise that everyone is different - and each individual person has higher and lower tolerances on any particular day

if planning a long drive

be as well rested as possible
take regular breaks
if there is no one in the car to keep conversing with, keep the radio up
don't have the heater on too high (don't be cold, but don't get too comfortable)
and when you start feeling tired, take note and work within your own body/mind


there is no hard and fast rule to what any one individual can do
keep within your own limits and make sure you have options to stay over night somewhere, just in case you feel too tired

[mik]

my 2c......number of kilometers does`nt mean a lot imo, today you might drive 1000 k`s and do it so easy , you might try it next week and find fatigue hits after 300 k`s, did you have a good restful sleep before the trip? or did the bloody neighbor next door party all night keeping you up, where going flat knacker trying to sort out details before you left or where you a little excited /hyped up the night before and did`nt sleep well, if you leave a bit fatigued before you go your gonna need rest sooner,

i still enjoy a road trip(not in a bloody truck though) even though i`m a pensioner old fart now, these days when i do a road trip, i try and make finding good way side stop or rest area/road house something to look forward too and a part of the trip, having a coffee out of the thermos a sanga and a stretch(or a kip if needed) beautiful ! .
one other thing , these days i don`t drive at night if i can help it, your body`s clock is be awake during the day, you sleep at night, as a younger bloke i used to enjoy night driving, but older and wiser now(i hope),
i reckon the chances of coming to grief are much greater after dark as your likely to find that other bloke that is fatigued coming the other way, even if your not,
he`s possibly been on the road since morning trying to make it home, once that sun goes down the eye lids start to get heavy, the same happens in the mornings, you drive through the night and if your unlucky enough to be heading east the sun hits your eyes like a couple of daggers, don`t leave too early....don`t leave too late try not to be stressed before you leave , have a safe trip.

[TheInterceptor]

Did Sydney to Melb the other week by myself in one hit. Stopped a couple of times to recharge and releive myself, then a fuel stop. My driving day started at 5am and finished at 9pmish ( did a good bit of drivin round town ). Did over 900kms, called it a night at a truck parking as it was the first place i could stay overnight at. Love having a camper wagon, when you need to call it a night, you call it a night!

Felt good as gold till i hit the highway again (i stopped for fuel then at the first truck/rest stop) as that was it for me.

Compared to when i was driving around Aus in my now departed 4wd doing speeds varying between 80 and 95 clicks tops in convoy with a caravan where fatigue happened alot quicker at around and after 450kms. Im refusing to do the convoy again and im stickin to my cruise control set to 104!
Least at that speed you have to be wide awake to overtake those going just slower than you and and to be wary of those coming up behind you, especially some trucks that can get close.

Tried coffee, tried "V" energy drinks, none of that affects me in any way!

What helps for sure is increased speed.....85 clicks on average is horrible compared to 104. I can only reckon that 110 and beyond will only be better!

Everyone has their limit, you just have to drive till you find it.

[CAT600]

Originally Posted by au3xr6

apply heavy vehicle fatigue management standards to all road users after all you still get fatigued in a car

image

WA's fatigue policy is a little different to that.

Day 1: Drive up to 17 hours (includes regular breaks similar to your chart)

Day 2; Ditto above

Day 3:... you can drive up to 14 hours max, HOWEVER the total combination of rest on days 1-3 must not be less than 27 hours in the 72 total.

IE: you can drive 17/17/11 or 17/14/14 but thats gotta add up to 45 hours max.

So it's quite feasible to do Perth to Sydney (distance-wise) in three days with all applicable rest breaks, and that averages out at 1200-1300ish per day

168 hours in a 14 day period is the maximum allowed also from memory

Daniel

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by Rodge

Are there any other coping stratagies people use to keep them alert and avoid fatigue ? I guess stretching or a bit of light excercise or a bit of a walk at meal times is a good idea ?

?

Seeing as you are taking your 2 year old grand daughter, she would be in a routine for meal time...So I would recommend trying to plan some of your stops around those meal times for her. I find sitting enjoying a meal, talking about the miles just travelled and going to travel, is relaxing enough to refresh the mind.

Whilst driving, try and engage both daughters in regular talks about the scenery...This will keep you alert to your surroundings, as well as them enjoying the trip.

Try avoid night driving....this is the time, where people sleep.....Your daughters will be sleeping, therefore making it difficult to keep the above recommendations in place....it'll also allow you time to recouperate from the days travel, being an older person (no disrespect intended either).

At stops, definately have a walk round and stretch....site seeing is a good way to engage all parties concerned and adds to the walking/stretching...

Hope this gives you more ideas...

[4stanger]

I hardly ever consume energy drinks.
I believe they have an effect on me for about the following hour after consumption.
I only take one energy drink half way through a long road trip.
I have been on 3 trips this year to Brisbane, Two of the trips I did most of the driving, last weekend I let my 18 year old son do most of the driving to Brisbane in all different conditions, was a good experience for him.
Yes we are all different, I realise that I have my limits that I didn't have 20+ years ago and make adjustments (the correct ones I hope) to suit.

[dallasv8]

I usually do a 1000 a day no problems. I do stop a lot and have little walks and buy an iced coffee here and there.
I personally believe a lot of road accidents could be prevented by having 2 lanes each way or split lanes on all major highways.