Revive and survive this Easter

THIS Easter long weekend, hundreds of Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) and Lions Club members will take time out from their holidays to make sure drivers get to their holiday destinations safely.
More than 40 Driver Reviver sites will operate a national campaign with one objective: to reduce road collisions by alleviating driver fatigue.
Driver Reviver sites offer free tea, coffee, biscuits and more to help motorists rest and refresh in a staffed and safe environment.
Today, throughout the state, with 102 accredited to perform Road Rescue, making the VICSES the largest Road Rescue operator in Australia.
In the past year, VICSES volunteers were called to attend 917 road rescue incidents across Victoria.
Ten of these were across the last Easter long weekend (2015).
“(As of March 10), we’ve had 68 fatalities on Victorian roads. That’s up 28.3 per cent from the same time last year. That’s 68 people who won’t be celebrating Easter with their families this year,” VICSES chief officer operations Trevor White said.
“With an estimated 22 per cent of drivers admitting to momentarily falling asleep at the wheel, it is important to remember to take a break every VICSES has 152 volunteer units Revive and survive two hours when driving.
“Easter is a particularly busy time on our roads and I ask all Victorian drivers to take special precautions when travelling through the state this long weekend.
“It is always more gratifying for SES volunteers across Victoria this Easter weekend from Thursday March 24 until Tuesday March 29.
For more than 25 years, Driver Reviver has been to have a friendly chat and serve you a cuppa at a Driver Reviver site than be faced with the trauma of cutting you out of your vehicle after a collision.”
TAC senior road safety manager Samantha Cockfield urged anyone taking a road trip this Easter to plan their trip and to take advantage of SES Driver Reviver sites across the state.
“Having a rest stop mid-trip gives you the chance to walk around, get some fresh air and have a cup of coffee to break up a long drive,” Ms Cockfield said.
“If you’re feeling really tired, having a 15-minute powernap is a proven way to recharge the batteries before returning to the road.
“But the best thing anyone can do before a long drive is get a good night’s sleep, there really is no substitute for it,” she said.
To function at their best, a healthy adult needs on average seven to nine hours’ sleep a night.
In the past five years, 18 people have lost their lives on Victorian roads over the Easter long weekend, including four last year.
If you’re taking a trip over Easter, visit a Driver Reviver site to take a break on the way.
For more information and a full list of sites and their operating hours, head to ses.vic.gov.au/driverreviver. Tips for a long car journey:
It is critical before leaving on long trips to be well rested, Plan trips so that you will stop at least every two hours; 15 minutes is a good break, Share the driving with someone else, Don’t let the temperature inside the car make you drowsy, Keep the radio or musics at a low level; loud music can interfere with concentration, Be flexible, if you feel you are getting tired, don’t wait, find somewhere safe and have a quick nap.