One-in-five Victorians have driven while being so tired they have struggled to keep their eyes open, according to a new study.
The findings have been revealed in the Transport Accident Commission’s (TAC) annual Road Safety Monitor report.
Around two-thirds of the more than 2,300 survey respondents said they had driven while feeling ‘quite tired’ or ‘very tired’, with 21 per cent admitting to driving when they could not keep their eyes open.
The survey, which asks participants about their road safety behaviours and attitudes, highlighted men aged 18 to 59 in outer urban and regional areas were most at risk, with 37 per cent of this cohort stating they have driven while very tired.
According to the TAC, drowsy driving is a factor in 16 to 20 per cent of fatal crashes each year on Victorian roads and contributes to approximately 25 per cent of road trauma injuries at The Alfred and Royal Melbourne hospitals.
In May, the TAC launched a campaign addressing the severe risks of drowsy driving, backed by research that found drivers who get less than five hours of sleep are four times more likely to crash.
“Tired driving is a factor in around 30 Victorian road deaths each year, so we need to be able to identify when we aren’t safe to drive and find alternatives to getting behind the wheel,” said Transport Accident Commission CEO, Tracey Slatter.
“Our message is that drowsy driving is a danger to everyone who shares the road, not just you, so please rest up and get more than five hours’ sleep before driving.”
The survey comes as the number of lives lost on Victorian roads has overtaken last year’s figures, with 185 road deaths so far in 2024 compared to 178 at the same time in 2023.
