Fatal vehicle crashes involving large trucks is a significant occupational risk to commercial truck drivers. In 2005, over 400,000 commercial motor vehicles were involved in accidents, and approximately 5,000 of these crashes resulted in fatalities. Driver impairment caused by fatigued is a known factor in many accidents (Maycock, 1997). Fatigue affects mental alertness, decreasing the driver’s capability to safely operate a vehicle. Drowsiness also slows reaction time, decreases awareness, and impairs judgment (Balkin et al., 2000; Von Dongen et al., 2003). Previous hours of sleep, hours awake and time-of-day, are some of the main factors that affect driver alertness and fatigue (Orris et al., 2005).”
The National Transportation Safety Board found that evidence of the role of reduced sleep in commercial vehicles crashes (National Transportation Safety Board, 1995). A review of the driver’s 96-hour duty-sleep history and characteristics of the crashes found that 58% of the crashes due to driver fatigue. Drivers in fatigue-related crashes had an average of 5.5 h sleep in the last 24 h compared with 8.0 h for drivers in other crashes. Fatigued drivers often fell into two distinct categories: drivers with regular sleep/work patterns who became tired while on the job, and those with irregular sleep patterns who arrived at work already exhausted. (iii)
The nature of long-distance driving with its monotony and lack of stimulation, also contribute to physical and mental fatigue and may increase safety risk. Mackie and Miller (1978) studied the relationship between hours-of-service and truck-crash risk. They found a higher proportion of crashes in the second half of trips. They also found an increase in crash risk with continuous hours driving increased, and evidence of reduced driving performance as the number of consecutive shifts increased.
127 our experts are availableright now
Between 2009 and 2014 there were about 110,000 on the North Dakota roadways. Of those that ended in server injuries and fatalities, 20% involved large commercial vehicles. This increase in crashes on North Dakota’s roadways maps perfectly on the increase in North Dakota as a result of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. A previous economically depressed region, the median household income recorded in the 2010 census was $48,060. The majority of workers in the region are white males high school graduates. However, according to census estimates by 2015, the population had climbed from 672,591 to 756,927. The transportation sector was approximately 10% of all jobs in the state, and 85% of transportation jobs were white males ages 35-60. The median income household had risen to $60,557.
The oil and gas industries had a $34 billion impact on North Dakota’s economy including a contributing to 38% of all taxes collected in the state. North Dakota is also experiencing economic growth in both agriculture and manufacturing as people begin to relocate to the region. For these reasons, the North Dakota Department of Transportation has begun to develop a strategic state freight plan in order to move items safely and securely across the land (https://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/planning/freight/docs/FreightPlanPowerPoint.pdf). Hours-of-service is a top industry issue in 2018. 54% of commercial vehicle drivers responded that adding flexibility in the current sleeper berth was a top strategy. Flexibility in the would allow drivers to rest when tired and would provide an opportunity for drivers to adjust their driving schedules (http://atri-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ATRI-Top-Industry-Issues-2018.pdf)
To feel completely rested, 76.7% of drivers reported that they needed between 6 and 8 hours of sleep. Most of the drivers took their sleep in the berth usually took their sleep in one stretch. However, of the remaining drivers who split their rest periods spent, data revealed that drivers who split their rests tended to sleep fewer hours than those who rested in one stretch.
Of the 28% of drivers who reported dosed off while driving in the past month, more than half reported that they had done so 1–2 times. Drivers with irregular schedules reported significantly more incidents of dozing at the wheel than those with regular schedules. Since falling asleep at the wheel is usually preceded by symptoms of fatigue or drowsiness, drivers were asked if they had experienced any of these precursors during the past month. Of the 28% of drivers who reported having dozed or slept at the wheel, 9.8% specified that they were never aware of the pending problem and 28 percent said they were sometimes aware. (https://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo6590/tb99-006.pdf)
This intervention intends to reduce death via commercial vehicle accidents by increasing North Dakota trucking industry’s value quality sleep of driver. Drivers recognize that being tired on the job is unsafe and causes more fatal accidents. With the increasing need for commercial driving in the agricultural, manufacturing, and energy sectors of the North Dakota economy. NDDOT recognized the need for more qualified drivers but has a hard time retaining labor in large part due to the hours of service required. Employers while recognizing the problem in long work hours and poor sleep quality, do not have the financial incentive to ensure that their employees have proper rest. Employers of participants in the smartwatch intervention will become innovators and early adopters of smartwatch technology to monitor and promote quality sleep patterns amongst commercial vehicle drivers.
Within the next three months, increase the proportion of commercial vehicle drivers in the smartwatch intervention who can recognize and identify symptoms of fatigue while driving from 40% to 80%. If participants can more quickly and accurately identify fatigue, they are more likely to stop and rest given their knowledge of the dangers of driving while fatigued. Taking breaks to rest will, will increase participants sleep time to 7 hours a day within XXX months on introduction to the program. The average amount of sleep regarded by truck drivers to feel well rested. If we decrease the number of fatigued commercial vehicle drivers, we can reduce the number of severe injury and fatal commercial vehicle driving accidents in North Dakota by XXX% in the next XXX years.
