Driver fatigue: The invisible risk costing fleets lives
WORDS BY COLIN HUGHES, APAC SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPTIX AUSTRALIA
There are few calls a fleet manager fears more than the one reporting an incident. In seconds, it can shift from a routine day to injured drivers, damaged vehicles and disrupted operations— and in the most severe cases, irrevocable reputational damage or worse, a family waiting for someone who doesn’ t come home.
The uncomfortable truth is that human behaviour remains the leading cause of serious truck crashes in Australia- with fatigue a major contributor. Regardless of how alert a driver may start their shift, tiredness can quickly set in, making it too easy to ignore heavy eyelids and push through to complete a delivery. Fatigue is estimated to contribute to approximately 20-30 % of all vehicle accidents and is one of the major causes of injuries and fatalities on the road.
For fleets, the impact is immediate and measurable- not just in human terms, but across medical costs, insurance increases, lost productivity and vehicle repairs. A report from The National Road Safety Partnership Program( NRSPP) estimates that tiredness among commercial fleet drivers costs the Australian economy around $ 3 billion every year.
The problem with fatigue: it hides in plain sight
Despite this, fatigue remains one of the most underestimated risks in commercial transport- largely because it’ s so difficult to detect. Unlike speeding or harsh braking, fatigue doesn’ t announce itself. There’ s no dashboard light, no obvious signal. Yet even a brief moment can have irreversible consequences. For example, a foursecond microsleep at 100 km / h means a vehicle travels 111 metres completely uncontrolled— roughly the length of a rugby field.
Video and sensory technology is changing how fatigue is detected and acted upon, however. Where once organisations could only react after an incident, the combination of technology, data and human expertise means fleets can now take a more proactive and preventative approach.
Real-time intervention
Advancements in AI-powered video telematics are transforming how fatigue is detected. This technology can monitor subtle fatigue indicators such as eyelid movement, gaze direction and head position. It can also make the distinction between a driver checking their mirrors or momentarily looking down and one who is experiencing drowsiness. This improved accuracy means fewer false alerts, with drivers warned of risk in real time through seat vibrations or audiovisual prompts. This timely intervention interrupts risky behaviour and allows drivers to take a break before it escalates.
Human intelligence behind the AI
Of course, technology alone is not enough. While in-cab alerts can help to reduce behavioural risk in-the-moment by as much as 80 %, fleets also need to prepare for situations where a driver is on the verge of falling asleep. Fatigue escalates quickly: a yawn leads to heavy eyelids, and
36 ISSUE 59 JUNE 2026 / WWW. AFMA. ORG. AU