A major problem in the transport industry is Driver Fatigue and this is a problem that has long reaching effects for all roads users.  Although truck drivers cannot predict when they will fall asleep, by continuing to drive when fatigued, they place themselves and others on the road at risk of injury or death. The incident last week involving the young father who was crushed by a truck while waiting at a traffic light got everyone’s attention, and the need to deal with the hazards of heavy vehicle driving has come under the spotlight. Fatigue should be eliminated through control measures and planning, however this may not always be possible, in which case measures should be taken to control the risk of harm from fatigue. Firstly Don’t ignore the early warning signs that you are tired.

• Yawning
• Poor concentration
• Tired eyes
• Restlessness
• Drowsiness
• Slow reactions
• Boredom
• Over steering

According to the experts and nutritionists the best way to combat fatigue is to look after yourself and your health. This entails getting enough rest and sleep, eat well balanced meals, take precautions when driving and stay physically fit. Shift work is particularly tiring. That is why it is important that shift workers get close to the average amount of required daily sleep as possible which is seven to eight hours. Drivers should also be aware that the effects of sleep are less effective when split between day and night as the body’s internal clock is affected.  Because our bodies are day orientated and light and noise during the day can mean that sleep quality is poorer, it is therefore important to ensure sleeping conditions are as favourable as possible. Some of the recommended tips for sleeping include:

• Cool conditions can assist in falling asleep and staying asleep.
• Draw the blinds or curtains and use sound insulation to reduce light levels and noise within the room or sleeping cabin
• Make sure the people in your life know of the hours that you will be sleeping so as to avoid disruptions from friends and family.
• Try to develop ways of unwinding after an afternoon or night shift such as taking a walk or watching television till you fall asleep
• Have a shower or a relaxing bath before going to bed, this will soothe and relax you making it easier to fall asleep.
• Do the normal rituals for going to bed regardless of the time of day to “trick” the body into thinking its night time.
• The timing and quality of meals can also affect your sleep so as far as possible keep to daytime eating patterns and have your largest meal in the middle of your awake hours. Do not have a large meal before going to sleep.
• Shift workers tend to have more health-related problems than day workers according to statistics so seek some medical advice if you experience depression, insomnia or sleeping problems, heart problems, indigestion or other stomach or bowel problems.

In order to help manage fatigue while driving consider taking frequent rest stops along the journey. Preferably a 15 minute stop every 2 hours. Avoid driving when tired, take a nap to rejuvenate yourself if you feel tired on the journey. Get out of the vehicle, get fresh air, take a walk stretch and get your blood circulating as this will keep you more alert. Fresh air will also help keeping you awake. Avoid using the heater as it can cause drowsiness. When cold, direct warmth to the feet and allow fresh air on your face or you will feel tired and may fall into a micro-sleep. Keep your mind active by listening to the radio while driving. Because trucks can cause such damage and serious crashes, drivers need to be especially alert for vehicles in other lanes or pedestrians that may step in front of their trucks. Drivers need to be able to respond instantly on the road, they need fast reflexes and fatigue reduces their concentration and ability to act quickly on the road. Roll-overs are another hazard of fatigue as drivers fall asleep at the wheel causing the truck to capsize. The worrying part about this is that the size of trucks means that they cause enormous amounts of damage, costs and inconvenience from road closures etc. when an incident occurs.