Assessment of Driver Fatigue, Distraction, and Performance in a Naturalistic Setting

Abstract

The results of a study to characterize episodes of driver fatigue and drowsiness and to assess the impact of driver fatigue on driving performance are documented. This data-mining effort performed additional analyses on data collected in an earlier study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the effects of fatigue on drivers in local and short-haul operations. The primary objectives of the study were to investigate fatigue as a naturally occurring phenomenon by identifying and characterizing episodes of drowsiness during all periods of driving and to determine the operational or driving environment factors associated with drowsy driving. A total of 2,745 drowsy events were identified in approximately 900 total hours of naturalistic driving video data. Higher levels of fatigue were associated with younger and less experienced drivers. In addition, a strong and consistent relationship was found between drowsiness and time of day. Drowsiness was twice as likely to occur between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., and approximately 30% of all observed incidences of drowsiness occurred within the first hour of the work shift. Insights about the relationship between driver fatigue and driver distraction and inattention are provided. This study presents an analytical framework for quantitatively assessing driver fatigue and drowsiness as a function of driver characteristics and the driving environment. It is hoped that the results will help to identify effective countermeasures for drowsy driving that will reduce the number of commercial-vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.