Driver fatigue in the city

Accid Anal Prev. 1997 Jul;29(4):463-9. doi: 10.1016/s0001-4575(97)00025-0.

Abstract

The current survey investigates the features of driver fatigue incidents (accidents, near accidents and unintentional drifting-out-of-lane events) which occurred in cities. The results show similar patterns to previous surveys, with incident trips tending to be short, and prior sleep loss and late night driving featuring as factors. Work trips feature very strongly among city fatigue incident trips and work is also a common reason for sleep loss before a fatigue incident. Consistent with the high representation of work trips, there are peaks in incident occurrence at commuter travel times. Shiftworkers are prominent amongst fatigue incident-involved drivers. Social trips also feature amongst fatigue incident trips but are likely to be more difficult to address with countermeasures.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational / psychology
  • Accidents, Occupational / statistics & numerical data
  • Accidents, Traffic / psychology
  • Accidents, Traffic / statistics & numerical data*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Attention
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Fatigue / epidemiology*
  • Fatigue / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • New South Wales / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data*
  • Work Schedule Tolerance