The multi-award winning Free Cuppa for the Driver scheme will return bigger and better in March 2019.
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The initiative offers a free cuppa to drivers who have travelled more than 100 kilometres from the address on their drivers’ licence and is aimed at preventing fatigue related crashes.
Dubbo Regional Council’s Road Safety Officer, Jayne Bleechmore said even though Free Cuppa for the Driver has finished, drivers should still apply strategies to prevent becoming tired whilst driving.
One strategy can be factoring in breaks when planning long distance trips which can be at driver rest areas, cafés or Driver Reviver sites.
Drivers who participated in the initiative had the opportunity to enter the draw to win prize valued $600 and participating businesses who filled in the supplied survey went into the draw to win prize of $300.
The winners were drawn by Sean Henderson, publican of the ‘Royal Hotel’ Binnaway NSW, a proud participating Free Cuppa business.
The winners were Maria Bower, who claimed a free cuppa from ‘The Roadhouse on Riverside’ in Jugiong, and the White Rose Cafe in Dunedoo.
The success of Free Cuppa for the Driver in reducing fatigue-related crashes on NSW roads depends heavily on everyone’s support.
The mobile friendly Free Cuppa website was also a success this year by improving drivers’ access to information, about the initiative and participating businesses details along with competitions.
Businesses interested in participating next year can sign up for Free Cuppa 2018, by contacting the Free Cuppa team through www.freecuppa.com.au.
An interactive map which shows rest areas in NSW can be found by searching for ‘rest areas’ on the Roads and Maritime Services website, www.rms.nsw.gov.au.
Other strategies to prevent driving tired include:
- Stop in a safe spot or rest area and have a 20 minute nap if early signs of fatigue are noticed such as yawning, restlessness and heavy eyes and/or poor concentration
- Share the driving on long distance trips
- Get a good night’s sleep before your journey
- Avoid driving at night when your body will naturally want to sleep
- Avoid long drives after work
- Find out if any medicine you are taking may affect your driving
If you would like to support participating Free Cuppa businesses outside of the ‘Free Cuppa for the Driver’ scheme, the locations and opening hours of the businesses are still available on the Free Cuppa website: www.freecuppa.com.au