TR Group has engaged seven experts in sleep medicine,
sleep psychology, nutrition, exercise and fatigue
management, and launched a cost-effective online course to
help drivers, machine operators, supervisors and managers
tackle fatigue and sleepiness.
With at least 10% of
road fatalities attributed to drowsy driving, motorists need
to be vigilant and educate themselves on the dangers, while
fleet managers and operators should be aware of their health
and safety obligations to manage fatigue.
“We’ve
all seen the catastrophic consequences of crashes where a
driver has fallen asleep at the wheel, and it’s a sign of
our times that more and more people are pushing the envelope
and driving while sleepy or fatigued. If we can help drivers
of all vehicles with reducing fatigue, we can reduce the
risk for all road users,” says Neil Bretherton, General
Manager at TR Driver Training.
An average of 3 people
a month are losing their lives on the road because of
fatigue, and it’s something that drivers may be aware of,
but don’t know how to address.
“We shouldn’t
underestimate the role fatigue plays in a person’s
reaction time, visual acuity and the person’s mental
state; driving fatigued can be as bad as driving drunk,”
says Dr Simon Dean, a contributor to the course, “This
material is in plain English, making it easy for anyone to
apply its recommendations, whether they are driving or
managing drivers.”
The course details the
differences between fatigue and sleepiness, how people can
improve their sleep, what illnesses and conditions cause
fatigue, the role of medication, drugs and diet, and how
managers and supervisors can create policies and plans to
minimise fatigue risk in the workplace.
The course is
available online through TR Group’s subsidiary, DT Driver
Training www.drivingtests.co.nz
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