Night shift worker died in school bus crash driving home, coroner warns of fatigue

Being tired at the wheel could cause a driver to drift in and out of sleep without knowing it, called microsleep, the coroner said. Photo / 123rf

By Finn Blackwell of RNZ

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.

At 7.30pm on October 31, 2022, Scania Rangi Te Whare, 27, had left his home in Te Kūiti to start his night shift at BidFood in Hamilton.

He typically worked night shifts from 9pm to 7am.

The coroner noted Te Whare would sometimes sleep in his car or at a friend’s house rather than driving home.

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.

Te Whare died at the scene, while the bus driver suffered minor injuries.

None of the students on board the bus were injured.

An autopsy showed Te Whare suffered a severe head injury, a ruptured aorta and lacerated lungs.

Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave found his death could have been prevented had he not been driving in a likely fatigued state.

Te Whare had been putting in a large amount of overtime at work in the weeks before his death.

Coroner Schmidt-McCleave made several recommendations after his death.

She wanted the public to take heed of advice from the NZTA around driving with fatigue.

“The NZTA advises that fatigue does not just mean falling asleep at the wheel,” she said.

“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.”

Being tired at the wheel could cause a driver to drift in and out of sleep without knowing it, called microsleep, the coroner said.

“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.”

Coroner Schmidt-McCleave said lifestyle changes should be considered to make sure drivers get enough sleep.

“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.

“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.”

NZTA said drivers should prepare properly before driving, and plan where to take a safe break, Schmidt-McCleave said.

A short nap of no more than 15 to 30 minutes could also help, she said.

“Not being tempted to keep driving when tired just because a destination is close.

“Many tiredness-related collisions occur close to home because the driver has relaxed, and the body takes this as a signal that it is okay to fall asleep.”

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.

NZTA’s warning signs for fatigue

• Beginning to blink
• Not being able to stop yawning
• Having trouble keeping head up
• Eyes closing for a moment or going out of focus
• Having wandering, disconnected thoughts
• Not remembering driving the last few kilometres
• Missing a gear
• Missing a road sign or exit
• Slowing unintentionally
• Braking too late
• Drifting over the centre line or on to the other side of the road