INDUS T RY P ER SP ECT I V E S
How Fleet Managers Can Fight Driver Fatigue By Chris L’Ecluse, Solutions Specialist, Teletrac Navman
Drowsy or fatigued driving is a serious problem in the transportation industry, claiming more than 846 lives per year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Naturally, it’s a major concern for fleet managers. When drivers are fatigued, they have a harder time focusing, meaning their reaction times slow. It’s more likely they’ll brake too late to avoid a collision or miss an important road sign or signal. In serious cases, driver performance plummets and some even experience tunnel vision. For this reason, fatigued driving can be as deadly as drunk driving. And the especially dangerous thing is that a driver can be fatigued enough for it to impair his or her performance and yet not even feel tired, and therefore not be aware their driving is affected. It’s important to clarify that while fatigue often stems from insufficient sleep, it’s not the same as being tired. While it’s possible for drivers to (attempt to) combat sleepiness by drinking coffee or rolling down the window, fatigue is harder to fight as it often stems from things truckers must do on a regular basis, like driving long distances, driving alone and driving overnight. As an addendum, the chemical caffeine found in coffee acts as a stimulant for only 15 minutes. The physiological changes leading to fatigue behind the wheel are a lack of visual stimulants (monotonous landscape or night driving) and lack of physical movement by being behind the wheel for extended periods,
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leading to a slowing of breathing; thus, lowering the body temperature and heartbeat, which are all signals to the brain that it’s time to sleep. It’s no wonder, then, that many fleet managers feel driver fatigue is an insurmountable problem. The good news is, it isn’t. There are steps fleet managers can take to reduce both fatigue itself and the likelihood of collisions resulting from it. Technology solutions are a good start. Fortunately, most managers have already taken a key step by using electronic logging devices, which prevent fatigue by keeping track of drivers’ hours of service and sending alerts when they’re due for breaks. Fleet safety and GPS fleet tracking solutions also can pick up on driver behavior that can indicate fatigue, like erratic or harsh braking, and alert drivers in real-time to prevent collisions. Lane departure warning systems, which alert drivers if they veer off into another lane, are also a valuable tool in preventing fatigue-related crashes. But tech is only part of the equation, as it doesn’t address the physical factors impacting fatigue. The realities of life on the road (sporadic sleep, little sleep and little opportunity for exercise or eating fresh, nutritious food) take their toll on truckers and can cause or exacerbate conditions that lead to fatigue. For example, fatigue is a common symptom of medical issues like diabetes and
sleep apnea, which affect U.S. truckers at a disproportionately high rate. There is a 50 percent higher occurrence of diabetes in truck drivers than the national average, and 28 percent of truckers have sleep apnea. While there’s no cure for either condition, proper treatment, regular exercise and eating a balanced diet help control symptoms and help to tackle some of the root health causes of driver fatigue. To help drivers stay on track with health and fitness goals, many fleet owners are introducing wellness programs for their drivers. Some offer incentives to improve health, whether it’s encouraging yearly physicals or providing access to smoking cessation programs and rewarding those who participate. Others subsidize regular vision checks (to prevent eye strain) and sleep apnea equipment. To encourage exercise in a sedentary career, other fleets distribute wearable fitness trackers to encourage as much exercise as possible, with some fleets even holding competitions to see who can get the most steps in during a week. Even though driver fatigue is a tough problem to fight when many of the risk factors are par for the course with driving long distances, it can be reduced through a multi-pronged approach, including both technology and promoting wellness. Not only will investing in safety technology and drivers’ health improve fatigue-related safety outcomes, your drivers will feel valued. n