‘Drowsy’ warning for Easter break

The Easter break provides many people with an opportunity to hit the road for a final holiday before the onset of cooler weather.

But the break is also renowned as a time of potential road trauma, prompting authorities to stress a need for motorists to take extra care.

The Transport Accident Commission, along with police and emergency services have warned of the dangers of drivers tackling relatively long journeys in short time frames during Easter.

They have targeted ‘drowsy driving’ as dangerous and potentially deadly and provided general messages for people contemplating an Easter on the road.

Here are key points.

• If you are already behind the wheel when you start to feel drowsy, the best remedy is to pull over and have a 15-minute powernap.

• You might think you can push through drowsiness, but you can not fight sleep. All day, sleep-inducing chemicals build up in your brain. They eventually reach a tipping point, sending you off to sleep. This can happen anytime and anywhere. You have no control over when or where this happens, and it can happen in an instant. The best way to avoid drowsy driving is to get a good night’s sleep.

• When planning your Easter road trip, work out the best places to break your driving. Take advantage of the many free Driver Reviver facilities across Victoria. Again and most importantly, plan to get a good night’s sleep the night before you head off and when you head home at the end of your break.

• Some signs that you are already drowsy include winding down the window or turning up the radio to stay awake – neither of which will help. The only remedy for drowsiness is sleep.