Driver fatigue and highway driving: A simulator study

Abstract Long duration of driving is a significant cause of fatigue-related accidents on motorways or major roadways. The fatigue caused by driving for extended periods acutely impairs driver alertness and performance and can compromise transportation safety. This study quantitatively measured the p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiology & behavior 2008-06, Vol.94 (3), p.448-453
Main Authors: Ting, Ping-Huang, Hwang, Jiun-Ren, Doong, Ji-Liang, Jeng, Ming-Chang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Attention - physiology
Automobile Driving
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Computer Simulation
Cross-Over Studies
Driver fatigue
Driving performance
Fatigue - physiopathology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Male
Principal Component Analysis
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Reaction Time
Sleep
Task Performance and Analysis
Time Factors
Transportation safety
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Summary:Abstract Long duration of driving is a significant cause of fatigue-related accidents on motorways or major roadways. The fatigue caused by driving for extended periods acutely impairs driver alertness and performance and can compromise transportation safety. This study quantitatively measured the progression of driver fatigue and identified the conservative safe duration of continuous highway driving. Thirty young male subjects were analyzed during 90 min of laboratory-simulated highway driving. Sleepiness ratings (SSS) and reaction time (RT) tests were used to assess impairment of driver alertness and vigilance. Additionally, various measures of driving performance recorded throughout the experiment were used to measure temporal deterioration of driver performance from alert to fatigued using principal component analysis (PCA). The analytical results revealed that SSS scores, reaction times (RTs) and unstable driving performance significantly increased over time, indicating that excessive driving time is a significant fatigue factor and potential cause of fatigue-related accidents. Moreover, the analytical results indicated that 80 min was the safe limit for monotonous highway driving. Based on the experimental findings of this study, public awareness of the adverse affects of driver fatigue during long-distance driving should be enhanced. This study provides explicit information of fatigue development that can be used to prevent fatigue-related accidents.
ISSN:0031-9384
1873-507X
DOI:10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.02.015