THE EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON SKILLS RELATED TO DRIVING

STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON DRIVING SKILLS. THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF "DRIVER WENT TO SLEEP" ACCIDENTS INDICATED THE NECESSITY FOR THIS TYPE OF STUDY. QUESTIONING OF DRIVER LIENSE RENEWAL APPLICANTS WITH A THREE-YEAR DRIVING RECORD IN CALIFORNIA GROUPED THEM IN CATEGORIES OF GOOD, MEDIUM, OR POOR HABIT DRIVERS. VOLUNTEERS FROM EACH CATEGORY WERE TESTED IN A SIMULATOR TO DETERMINE THEIR REACTIONS TO VARIOUS SITUATIONS WHILE IN A FATIGUED CONDITION. THERE WAS NO MARKED DIFFERENCE IN THE SCORES FOR THE TOTAL TRIP OR FOR THE SELECTED EVENTS. THERE WERE MARKED DIFFERENCES IN THE PROPORTION OF TIMES DRIVERS IN THE THREE GROUPS FAILED THE TRAFFIC COLLISION SITUATIONS. THE FATIGUED-POOR HABITS GROUP HAD A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF FAILURES THAN THE FATIGUED-GOOD HABITS GROUP. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT NEARLY ONE-HALF OF THE DRIVERS QUESTIONED FREELY ADMITTED HAVING DIFFICULTY STAYING AWAKE WHILE DRIVING. THE AUTHORS FEEL THAT THIS STUDY SHOULD ADD SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT TO THE ARGUEMENT FOR A DRIVER LICENSE SCREENING EXAMINATION AND A COUNTERMEASURE OF EDUCATION AND PERHAPS STIMULANT DRUGS. /BPR/

• Corporate Authors:

  Itte, Calif Univ, Los Angeles

  ,    

  University of California, Los Angeles

  Los Angeles, CA  United States 

  Calif Business & Transportation Agency

  ,    

  Department of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  California Division of Highways

  Bridge Department
  Sacramento, CA  United States  05914

  Bureau of Public Roads /US

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver performance; Drivers; Driving tests; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Personnel performance; Records management; Sleep
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver license renewal; Records
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00222589
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bureau of Public Roads /US
• Report/Paper Numbers: No B-2-3
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 6 1970 12:00AM