Truck drivers are entering the domain of professional athletes to help road safety researchers predict – and stop – crashes caused by fatigue.
Predicting driver fatigue is a key issue for professional drivers. Three out of four work place fatalities involve a vehicle. With the aim of keeping those behind the wheel safe, researchers from Griffith University are currently collecting data for a trial examining how fatigue impacts drivers.
Drivers will wear a Hexoskin vest over the period of a week which will measure heart rate and breathing rate while driving and resting. The data collected from them will be overlayed with in-vehicle monitoring data to help understand how physical responses contribute to fatigue.
Drivers from Toll Group and Bingo Industries have already participated and the data collected has been very valuable. More light and heavy vehicle drivers are needed, if you are interested in finding out more, email Dr Caroline Robertson at [email protected]
