A new nationwide survey conducted by the NRMA has uncovered a troubling reality on Australia’s roads: nearly one in four Australians (23%) admit to having experienced a microsleep episode while driving, with almost two-thirds of those incidents occurring during the day.
Microsleep refers to a brief and uncontrollable episode of sleep, often lasting a few seconds, and can happen without the driver even realising it. Such incidents are considered extremely dangerous, especially at highway speeds.
The survey, which gathered responses from over 2,000 Australians, is being released at a time when the national road toll has climbed to 1,337 deaths over the 12 months to May 2025 — a 4.8% increase from the same period last year, according to data from the National Road Safety Data Hub.
Fatigue is currently linked to one in every five crashes on Australian roads, NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said. “Too many lives are being lost because people are driving while exhausted. This is a preventable risk. A simple break could save your life,” he warned.
The survey also found that nearly 40% of drivers fail to take a break every two hours when driving for long periods. Alarmingly, 61% said their main concern when planning a trip was avoiding traffic, with 24% starting their journeys before sunrise, potentially putting themselves at greater risk of fatigue-related incidents.
These findings come as millions of Australians gear up for winter getaways. Nearly 70% plan to travel domestically, with 45% of those travelling interstate opting to drive.
“Whether you’re heading somewhere warmer, visiting friends and family, or enjoying the snow season, we know there’ll be more people on the road – often on unfamiliar routes,” Mr Khoury added. “We urge all drivers to plan regular stops every two hours. Safety should come first.”
The NRMA is calling for increased public awareness and individual responsibility to help reduce fatigue-related incidents, especially during peak travel periods like the winter holidays.
