Road Characteristics and Driver Fatigue: A Simulator Study

Two experiments examined the influence of road characteristics on driver fatigue in a prolonged simulator drive. In experiment one, ten military truck drivers drove a mixed route, with straight, winding, and straight highway segments. In experiment two, 16 additional drivers drove either a straight, a winding, or a mixed route. Fatigue symptoms were assessed using performance, subjective, and psychophysiological measures (HRV). The authors hypothesized that drivers adopt different fatigue-coping strategies relative to the demands of the drive. Thus, on straight roads drivers are more likely to loosen their driving demands by either increasing their driving speed and/or not maintaining the lane position, as the road is tolerant to both strategies, whereas on winding roads, drivers are more likely to increase their speed but not their lane positioning. Study results confirm that decremental changes in driving performance varied among road types. In the straight road components, the authors found decrements in the quality of lane maintaining (experiment one) and steering quality (experiments one and two) and longitudinal speed (experiment two). In the winding road, the authors found that drivers increased their driving speed over time (experiments one and two).

• Record URL:
  • http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/15389580701354318
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/49192340
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Taylor & Francis
• Authors:
  • Oron-Gilad, Tal
  • Ronen, Adi
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 281-289
• Serial:
  • Traffic Injury Prevention
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 1538-9588
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/15389588.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver performance; Drivers; Driving simulators; Routes; Steering; Truck drivers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver fatigue; Driving speed; Lane position; Longitudinal; Road characteristics; Straight sections; Winding
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01076874
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 24 2007 9:14AM