A coroner has found the death of a driver who crashed into a school bus could have been prevented had he not driven while tired.<\/p>\n
Scania Rangi Te Whare, 27, had driven from his home in Te Kuiti on October 31 2022, leaving about 7.30pm to start his night shift at BidFood in Hamilton.<\/p>\n
He typically worked night shifts from 9pm to 7am.<\/p>\n
The coroner noted Te Whare would sometimes sleep in his car or at a friend’s house rather than driving home.<\/p>\n
As he drove home about 7.30am the next day, Te Whare crossed the centre line of the road and hit a school bus travelling in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n
Te Whare died at the scene, while the bus driver suffered minor injuries.<\/p>\n
None of the students on board the bus were injured.<\/p>\n
A post-mortem detailed the injuries Te Whare suffered in the crash, including a severe head injury, a ruptured aorta and lacerated lungs.<\/p>\n
Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave found his death could have been prevented had he not been driving in a likely fatigued state.<\/p>\n
Te Whare had been putting in large amount of overtime at work in the weeks before his death.<\/p>\n
Coroner Schmidt-McCleave made a number of recommendations after his death.<\/p>\n
She wanted the public to take heed of advice from the NZTA around driving with fatigue.<\/p>\n
“The NZTA advises that fatigue does not just mean falling asleep at the wheel,” she said.<\/p>\n
“That is an extreme form of fatigue. Fatigue can also mean tiredness, weariness or exhaustion and a driver can be fatigued enough for it to impair driving long before the driver ‘nods off’ at the wheel.”<\/p>\n
Being tired at the wheel could cause a driver to drift in and out of sleep without knowing it, called microsleep, the Coroner said.<\/p>\n
“These naps can last between three and five seconds and are the main cause of fatigue-related crashes where the driver runs off the road.”<\/p>\n
Coroner Schmidt-McCleave said lifestyle changes should be considered to make sure drivers get enough sleep.<\/p>\n
“Measures such as drinking caffeine, getting out of the vehicle to stretch legs, opening the window or turning up the radio volume do not work and will refresh a driver only for a short while,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Once fatigue has set in, no amount of willpower will keep a driver awake. The only answer is sleep and the driver should stop for a short nap or seek assistance to get home.”<\/p>\n
NZTA said drivers should prepare properly before driving, and plan where to take a safe break, Schmidt-McCleave said.<\/p>\n
A short nap of no more than 15 to 30 minutes could also help, she said.<\/p>\n
“Not being tempted to keep driving when tired just because a destination is close.<\/p>\n
“Many tiredness-related collisions occur close to home because the driver has relaxed, and the body takes this as a signal that it is ok to fall asleep.”<\/p>\n
The Coroner noted shift workers were a recognised category of drivers more likely to suffer from driver fatigue, because they were more likely to have their sleep patterns disrupted.<\/p>\n
NZTA’s warning signs for fatigue<\/p>\n
Beginning to blink<\/p>\n
Not being able to stop yawning<\/p>\n
Having trouble keeping head up<\/p>\n
Eyes closing for a moment or going out of focus<\/p>\n
Having wandering, disconnected thoughts<\/p>\n
Not remembering driving the last few kilometres<\/p>\n
Missing a gear<\/p>\n
Missing a road sign or exit<\/p>\n
Slowing unintentionally<\/p>\n
Braking too late<\/p>\n
Drifting over the centre line or onto the other side of the road<\/p>\n