Falling Asleep at the Wheel: Causes and Consequences

Sovning Bak Rattet: Medvirkende Faktorer, Omfang og Konsekvenser

Previous research has shown that 1-6% of all car crashes and 3-15% of fatal crashes are caused by fatigue or sleep. To investigate possible contributing factors a questionnaire study was carried out among,448 drivers who had been involved in a crash. Fatigue or sleep was a contributing factor in 1.3% of the crashes. 22% of the drivers had fallen asleep during the last 12 months, and 4.3% of those incidents resulted in a crash. More male than female drivers fall asleep at the wheel, and more young than elderly drivers. 40% of the sleep or fatigue related crashes were caused by drivers with sleeping problems. Falling asleep while driving is more likely to occur in good and/or monotonous driving conditions. Most drivers who fall asleep feel tired in advance, but continue driving despite this. Drivers who get tired report trying various measures to keep awake, mostly without success.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/8248004384
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Text in Norwegian; English summary.
• Corporate Authors:

  Norwegian Institute of Transport Economics

  Gransesvingen 7, P.O. Box 6110, Etterstad
  Oslo,   Norway  N-0602
• Authors:
  • Sagberg, F
  • Bjornskau, T
• Publication Date: 2004-10

Language

• English
• Norwegian

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: 72p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age groups; Crash causes; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Gender; Sleep
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driving conditions; Falling asleep at the wheel
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01002426
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 82-480-0438-4
• Report/Paper Numbers: TOI-748/2004
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 28 2005 7:50AM