New research into fatigued driving conducted for the nation’s peak motoring body has established which types of technologies are most effective in detecting when a driver is at risk of falling asleep at the wheel.
The research, conducted under the AAA’s Road Safety Research Program, examined a range of fatigue-detection technologies (FDTs) that are available in new cars or can be fitted to vehicles after purchase.
Researchers from Monash University, Central Queensland University and the Institute for Breathing and Sleep found the most effective technologies were those that monitored drivers’ eye movement, based on scientific sleepiness scales, and sounded alarms early enough to alert drivers to take action. Inexpensive, pre-drive technologies that address fitness to drive are also effective.
Technologies designed to detect when a car is drifting into the wrong lane were not good indicators of fatigue, and devices measuring a driver’s heartbeat through steering wheel sensors were not very effective because they rely on drivers keeping both hands on the wheel at all times.
Drowsy driving contributes to about 30 per cent of motor vehicle crashes and a fifth of fatal crashes.
Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission has found that one in three Australians say they have driven while quite tired and one in five have driven while so tired they struggled to keep eyes open.
AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said the research was developed in response to industry consultation.
“Fleet and safety managers told the AAA that lack of information on emerging technologies was a major barrier to uptake,” he said.
“That’s why Australia’s motoring clubs invested $1.2 million via the Road Safety Research Program to produce practical resources that will drive uptake of these technologies and deliver real road safety improvements.”
The researchers worked with fleet managers and drivers from Telstra, Martins Haulage and Hazeldene’s Chicken to assess various technologies in a closed track environment and in real-world conditions.
The research has delivered a practical guidebook for fleet managers. This guide can help individual motorists but will be especially useful to fleet managers who must balance business efficiency with keeping their employees safe on the roads.
The AAA hopes this will help them understand available fatigue-detection technologies; how their organisations can use FDT; and best-practice steps for adopting FDT and embedding it in their operations.
The AAA’s Fatigue Detection Technology for Fleets Guide is free and can be downloaded here.
