Drivers are being urged to pay attention to the signs of fatigue while behind the wheel.

People driving while tired officially played a part in nearly one in 10 deaths on New Zealand’s roads, however, the actual toll is likely much higher, said a statement from the AA.

From 2021 to 2023 Ministry of Transport figures show 103 deaths and 285 serious injuries were attributed to incidents involving driver fatigue.

AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said it’s widely accepted that fatigue was under-reported in official crash data and international research has found about 20% of crashes likely involve driver fatigue.

This means that about 60 people die in crashes a year where someone has been struggling to stay awake while driving.

“Falling asleep at the wheel is what comes to mind when people think about driver fatigue, but it can also be situations where people are battling to stay alert or mentally zoning out because of tiredness.

“Any situation where someone is feeling fatigue and struggling to focus means they will likely be slower to react and more likely to lose control or miss seeing something. All of which can put lives at risk.”

A recent AA survey found 11% of people said they had trouble staying awake while driving on at least one occasion in the space of four weeks.

A different survey of younger people aged 18 to 25 found 39% of respondents had been in a similar situation at least once in the past three months.

“The results of our surveys show that too many people aren’t taking the risks seriously and think they can push through fatigue.

“What’s concerning and surprising to us is a higher proportion of young people saying they had driven in a state where they were finding it hard to stay awake.”

Thomsen said physical and mental exhaustion caused by earlier activities, sleep loss, or driving at times when you might usually be sleeping can all bring on fatigue.

He said this can slow reaction times, impact your ability to make decisions, and reduce awareness of surrounding traffic and road conditions.

Things to look out for are:

- Wandering or disconnected thoughts

- Can’t stop yawning

- Inability to keep your eyes open or your eyes going out of focus

- Trouble keeping your head up

- Missing road signs

- Drifting into other lanes or over centre lines

- Unable to keep vehicle at a constant speed

“If you are noticing signs of fatigue, pull over and have a 15 to 20-minute power nap. This can help restore mental clarity but ideally you don’t want to be putting yourself in a position where fatigue and driving cross over.”

Thomsen said the best way to reduce the risk of fatigue is to only get into the vehicle if you are feeling fresh, and to plan your trip allowing for plenty of rest stops and ample time.

If possible, have another person in the vehicle who can take over the driving.

-Contributed content