A quarter of drivers admit to microsleep behind the wheel
The nationwide index survey of more than 2000 Australians showed that, of the 23 per cent of respondents who had fallen asleep behind the wheel, almost two-thirds said it occurred during the day.
The shocking figure comes as the national road toll for the past 12 months to May sits at 1337 deaths.
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Fatigue is a factor in one in five crashes on Australian roads, the NRMA says. (iStock)
This is a 4.8 per cent increase from the same time last year,
figures
from the federal government's National Road Safety Data Hub show.
The NRMA survey results also found that nearly 40 per cent of drivers are not taking a break at least every two hours when driving longer distances of three hours or more.
When planning a road trip, 61 per cent were most concerned about beating the traffic and almost one-quarter left before sunrise, the research showed.
NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said too many Australians were losing their lives because they were driving exhausted.
"Fatigue is a factor in one in five crashes on Australian roads, the road toll this year is already far too high and this unnecessary risk can be removed by taking a break," Khoury said.
The survey results come as many Australians prepare to hit the road for their winter break.
Almost 70 per cent of Australians planned to stay within the country for their next holiday, and, for those who would be travelling interstate, 45 per cent planned to drive.
Khoury said as more Australians chose to travel domestically for their holidays due to ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it was vital drivers prioritised safety on our roads.
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While couples may expect to receive an influx of cash on their wedding day, Ms Munro said most couples were not "counting on gifts of money to cover costs". She said it was "risky and could lead to financial stress if expectations aren't met". Instead, couples tended to plan their wedding based on what they could afford. "Wishing wells offer couples the freedom to use the contributions however they choose - whether it's for items they genuinely need, specific brands they prefer, their honeymoon, or even putting money toward their rent or mortgage." After forking out for flights, accommodation, and a new outfit, a destination wedding guest might start to wonder. Is my presence present enough? Millennials across Australia are in the thick of their wedding guest era and discovering the steep cost of attending celebrations. And destination weddings are the most expensive of them all. So, what is gift-giving etiquette when international travel is involved? 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"Most couples who get married already live together, so they don't need to be bought random stuff for the house," he said. "I think the unspoken rule for cash is usually to pay for your seat, meal and drinks, so [he and his wife] give $250 to $300 for the two of us." READ MORE: Wedded to the drinks cart: how to save money popping corks on the big day More than ever, couples are asking for cash instead of gifts, the wedding industry report found. A whopping 90 per cent of couples had a wishing well for cash gifts at their reception. Only one per cent of couples were prompting guests to buy a present from a gift registry, while nine per cent set up a honeymoon registry. Wedding planner Sharon Munro said wishing wells "have become very popular and are even included in many venue packages". But she said couples were starting to "think outside the box" when requesting gifts from their guests. 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Just two per cent got hitched overseas, and seven per cent got married in another state or territory, according to the report. Couples are travelling the world to tie the knot, with the top wedding destinations being New Zealand, the United States, Fiji, Italy, Indonesia, Greece, the United Kingdom, India, and South Africa. While couples may expect to receive an influx of cash on their wedding day, Ms Munro said most couples were not "counting on gifts of money to cover costs". She said it was "risky and could lead to financial stress if expectations aren't met". Instead, couples tended to plan their wedding based on what they could afford. "Wishing wells offer couples the freedom to use the contributions however they choose - whether it's for items they genuinely need, specific brands they prefer, their honeymoon, or even putting money toward their rent or mortgage." After forking out for flights, accommodation, and a new outfit, a destination wedding guest might start to wonder. Is my presence present enough? Millennials across Australia are in the thick of their wedding guest era and discovering the steep cost of attending celebrations. And destination weddings are the most expensive of them all. So, what is gift-giving etiquette when international travel is involved? Wedding planner Natalie Hagopian said that cash was "always preferred" at a destination wedding, so couples weren't lugging home heavy crystal bowls in their carry-on bags. "While it's still customary to offer something, the expectation for a large or extravagant gift at a destination wedding is significantly lower," she said. "Many couples will explicitly state 'your presence is our gift!' on their wedding website or invitation, acknowledging the substantial financial and time commitment involved for guests." A guest forks out hundreds of dollars on the average wedding gift, the 2025 Australian Wedding Industry Report found. 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"Wishing wells offer couples the freedom to use the contributions however they choose - whether it's for items they genuinely need, specific brands they prefer, their honeymoon, or even putting money toward their rent or mortgage."
