Testing the Effectiveness of Objective and Subjective Predictors of Driving Behavior under Fatigue

Abstract

There is growing evidence that driver fatigue is a major road safety problem, causing crashes that frequently involve fatalities and severe injuries. Professional drivers are among the road users indicated by literature to be at high risk of involvement in a fatigue-related crash. The goal of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of objective and subjective data collection and analysis in predicting driving behavior under fatigue. Toward this goal, the impact of a fatigue-training program addressing professional drivers was assessed through a naturalistic study on data collected by trip recorders (Geographical Positioning System devices). Analysis of these data was supplemented with the collection of self-reported data obtained through a questionnaire survey to investigate potential threats, deficiencies, and bias of the approaches. Findings revealed that there is some correlation between the two approaches measuring driving behavior under fatigue. Focusing on self-reported data, it was indicated that the training program affected positively the direction of change in the behavior of the professional drivers, addressed by an increase in the proportion of drivers who stop and rest when tired. The naturalistic approach and the testing of potential differences before and after the training program with reference to speed and average stop time showed that the training program encouraged drivers to reduce their speed and increase the time that they stop and rest.