Latest news with #driverfatigue
CNA
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Behind the wheel too long? How to stay healthy and beat fatigue if you drive all day for work
It doesn't take a road trip overseas to experience driver's fatigue. If you're a private-hire driver, taxi driver or delivery rider, the regular nine-to-five routine is definitely out of the window for you. In fact, platform workers typically work about 59 hours per week, according to a 2022 study on nearly 1,000 workers by the National University of Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies. While there aren't any official statistics on the daily hours, it is not unusual to find, for instance, delivery riders spending 10 to 12 hours on the road. And with about 70,000 platform workers in the ride-hail and delivery service sectors as of 2023, they make up 3 per cent of Singapore's workforce. That could be a lot of tired drivers and riders out there hustling to make ends meet. Anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time behind the wheel will know that driver's fatigue is a very real thing. 'Drivers experiencing fatigue may show signs such as frequent yawning and blinking, difficulty keeping their eyes open, and decreased concentration and vigilance,' said Dr Licia Tan, an associate consultant with Sengkang General Hospital's Department of Occupational Medicine. 'Passengers might also notice the driver becoming fidgety, veering off the lane or driving erratically,' she added. When does driver's fatigue set in? How can you combat it and get home safe? Let's put the gear into drive. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR DRIVER'S FATIGUE TO SET IN? One to two hours of continuous driving, according to Dr Tan. 'Driving is a cognitively demanding task that relies on sustained attention, quick reflexes and decision making – all of which would decline when a driver is tired.' Of course, the rate of deterioration depends on many factors, she said, citing 'individual differences in sustained attention, fatigue, sleep sufficiency, psychological state, mental sharpness and environmental conditions'. And on those especially hot days, the brain drain is even more pronounced. 'Intense weather conditions, such as a high environmental temperature, show a positive association with fatigue symptoms and have been linked to poorer decision making and road traffic accidents,' said Dr Tan. Now, not many people drive for 18 hours straight (and you shouldn't). But if you do, know that the prolonged wakefulness that impairs your brain function, is comparable to alcohol intoxication. 'Being awake for 18 hours is similar to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 per cent, and 24 hours equate to 0.10 per cent, which exceeds Singapore's legal limit of 0.08 per cent,' said Dr Tan. WHAT KINDS OF DRIVING CONDITIONS TEND TO SAP YOUR ABILITY TO FOCUS? There are two types of fatigue, explained Dr Tan. 'In active fatigue, there is high mental effort required to navigate harsh external conditions such as poor weather, hazardous road conditions and heavy traffic. 'On the other hand,' she continued, 'passive fatigue results when there are prolonged periods where drivers have little to do. This can occur when driving on the expressway on cruise control, for example. Being awake for 18 hours is similar to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 per cent, and 24 hours equate to 0.10 per cent, which exceeds Singapore's legal limit of 0.08 per cent. Both will drain you mentally but in different ways. In active fatigue, a high mental effort is required to maintain attention and that will lead to an eventual decline in vigilance, she said. Meanwhile, 'the monotony of driving may uncover underlying sleepiness and drowsiness with consequent negative effects on performance'. WHAT ELSE CAN IMPAIR YOUR REACTION AND FOCUS WHILE DRIVING? You only need to scroll through a couple of road-rage videos online to know that your psychological status such as stress, anxiety and anger, said Dr Tan, can impair your judgement from behind the wheel. Of course, the classic disruptors include alcohol and using the mobile phone. 'Alcohol is certainly a major contributor to road accidents as it reduces alertness, impairs judgement, impacts motor coordination and slows reaction time,' said Dr Tan. 'Distractions such as using the mobile phone increase the risk of accidents by consuming your visual and mental attention.' WHAT IMPACT DOES DRIVING HAVE ON HEALTH IN THE LONG RUN? Despite the high mental load, driving is, after all, a sedentary activity. It 'involves long hours of sitting, irregular meals and breaks, and limited access to physical activity – all of which increase the risks of chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity', said Dr Tan. 'There is also strong evidence on the contribution of risk factors such as poor ergonomics and prolonged hours in a seated position with the development of musculoskeletal disorders such as lower back pain,' she said. Whole-body vibration (WVB), experienced by heavy-vehicle drivers, is another concern, said Dr Tan. Some studies have linked repeated or long-term exposure to such vibrations to negative health effects such as nerve damage, spinal degeneration, loss of balance, and vascular damage in the arms and hands. And that's not even including the job stress and abuse from demanding passengers and customers, said Dr Tan. SO, WHAT CAN DRIVERS DO? Dr Tan has four tips for better health: Maintain a balanced diet and keep to regular meal-times Pack nutritious snacks like fruits and unsalted nuts for when food access is difficult. Drink at least two litres of water daily. Keeping a water bottle filled with cool water in the vehicle will help ensure you are adequately hydrated. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and reduced concentration. Take regular breaks Got for a five-to-10-minute break every hour, if possible. For example, you can do it after dropping off a passenger or package. Do body stretches, clock some steps or do some light stretches to improve blood circulation. Driving more than 12 hours increases the risk of fatigue-related errors and long-term cardiovascular harm. WHAT IF YOU CAN'T STOP AND TAKE A BREAK? Try simple seated exercises like neck rolls, shoulder shrugs and upper limb stretches while waiting in traffic, suggested Dr Tan.
CBS News
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Federal investigators eye driver fatigue in deadly 18 wheeler crash on I-20 tied to Florida-based carrier
Federal investigators are examining the role driver fatigue may have played in a deadly I-20 crash near Terrell over the weekend involving a Florida-based truck driver and his employer, Hope Trans LLC. The National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Texas Department of Public Safety, has opened a safety investigation into the crash that killed five people on Interstate 20 in Terrell, Texas. The driver, identified as Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, is from Florida and works for Hope Trans LLC, a trucking company with a listed address in the Orlando area, according to USDOT records. Records show the company had a previously listed address of Tacoma, Washington. Federal transportation records show Hope Trans LLC has been in operation since 2021. The company currently operates 65 trucks and employs 80 drivers. It is listed as being in compliance with federal safety regulations. In the past 24 months, Hope Trans LLC has been involved in three crashes resulting in injuries, though none were fatal until this weekend's incident. In terms of driver compliance, based on federal inspection in the past 24 months, the company's record is slightly better than the national average. Five percent of Hope Trans LLC drivers were found "out of service" during a federal inspection, compared to the national average of 6.7%. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website shows no "acute/critical" violations for hours-of-service compliance or driver fitness. Federal rules limit commercial truck drivers to a 12-hour driving limit after 8 consecutive hours off-duty, as well as a 70-hour weekly limit over 7 consecutive days. As the NTSB continues its investigation, questions remain about what could have been done to prevent the crash—and whether warning signs were missed.
CNN
21-05-2025
- CNN
Shortage of overnight truck parking contributed to deadly Greyhound bus crash, regulators say
Overnight parking for long-haul truckers at interstate rest stops is critically short and was a key contributor to a 2023 Greyhound bus crash in Illinois that killed three people, federal regulators said Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board said driver fatigue and poor company oversight of its drivers also played key roles when the Greyhound bus exited Interstate 70 onto a rest area ramp east of St. Louis and struck three semitrailers parked on the shoulder. Board Chairperson Jennifer Homendy said the crash, which sheared off the right side of the bus and injured 12 aboard, was preventable. 'Our investigation brought to light a critical shortage of safe truck parking and made clear a painful lesson: Until we address this important safety issue, lives are at risk on our nation's roads,' she said. Truck parking on rest stop entrance and exit ramps is illegal, but the ban is seldom enforced because there's insufficient parking for the 13 million rigs on the nation's roads and the federal government electronically monitors truckers' hours on the road and their rest periods. The board, meeting in Washington, cited the bus driver's fatigue and 'deficient driver oversight by Greyhound,' including the company's failure to address the driver's 'recurring unsafe driving behaviors.' Records compiled during the investigation showed the driver had been involved in four prior accidents, two of which were deemed preventable, and an electronic monitor caught him driving over the speed limit on repeated occasions. A spokesman said via email 'Greyhound Lines has fully cooperated with the NTSB since the beginning of this investigation' but declined further comment, citing ongoing litigation. The westbound bus, with 22 passengers, entered the rest area near Highland, 32 miles (about 51 kilometers) east of St. Louis at 1:48 a.m. on July 12, 2023. It slid along the sides of three trucks parked for the night. None of the truck drivers was hurt, but three bus passengers were killed and the bus driver and 11 other passengers were injured. The report also noted that injuries could have been minimized if more passengers had been wearing safety belts provided. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted a rule in 2019 requiring commercial buses to have seatbelts for the driver and every passenger. Illinois law requires the use of seatbelts.
CNN
21-05-2025
- CNN
Illinois bus crash: Shortage of truck parking contributed to Greyhound accident
Source: AP Overnight parking for long-haul truckers at interstate rest stops is critically short and was a key contributor to a 2023 Greyhound bus crash in Illinois that killed three people, federal regulators said Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board said driver fatigue and poor company oversight of its drivers also played key roles when the Greyhound bus exited Interstate 70 onto a rest area ramp east of St. Louis and struck three semitrailers parked on the shoulder. Board Chairperson Jennifer Homendy said the crash, which sheared off the right side of the bus and injured 12 aboard, was preventable. 'Our investigation brought to light a critical shortage of safe truck parking and made clear a painful lesson: Until we address this important safety issue, lives are at risk on our nation's roads,' she said. Truck parking on rest stop entrance and exit ramps is illegal, but the ban is seldom enforced because there's insufficient parking for the 13 million rigs on the nation's roads and the federal government electronically monitors truckers' hours on the road and their rest periods. The board, meeting in Washington, cited the bus driver's fatigue and 'deficient driver oversight by Greyhound,' including the company's failure to address the driver's 'recurring unsafe driving behaviors.' Records compiled during the investigation showed the driver had been involved in four prior accidents, two of which were deemed preventable, and an electronic monitor caught him driving over the speed limit on repeated occasions. A spokesman said via email 'Greyhound Lines has fully cooperated with the NTSB since the beginning of this investigation' but declined further comment, citing ongoing litigation. The westbound bus, with 22 passengers, entered the rest area near Highland, 32 miles (about 51 kilometers) east of St. Louis at 1:48 a.m. on July 12, 2023. It slid along the sides of three trucks parked for the night. None of the truck drivers was hurt, but three bus passengers were killed and the bus driver and 11 other passengers were injured. The report also noted that injuries could have been minimized if more passengers had been wearing safety belts provided. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted a rule in 2019 requiring commercial buses to have seatbelts for the driver and every passenger. Illinois law requires the use of seatbelts. See Full Web Article
CNN
21-05-2025
- CNN
Shortage of overnight truck parking contributed to deadly Greyhound bus crash, regulators say
Overnight parking for long-haul truckers at interstate rest stops is critically short and was a key contributor to a 2023 Greyhound bus crash in Illinois that killed three people, federal regulators said Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board said driver fatigue and poor company oversight of its drivers also played key roles when the Greyhound bus exited Interstate 70 onto a rest area ramp east of St. Louis and struck three semitrailers parked on the shoulder. Board Chairperson Jennifer Homendy said the crash, which sheared off the right side of the bus and injured 12 aboard, was preventable. 'Our investigation brought to light a critical shortage of safe truck parking and made clear a painful lesson: Until we address this important safety issue, lives are at risk on our nation's roads,' she said. Truck parking on rest stop entrance and exit ramps is illegal, but the ban is seldom enforced because there's insufficient parking for the 13 million rigs on the nation's roads and the federal government electronically monitors truckers' hours on the road and their rest periods. The board, meeting in Washington, cited the bus driver's fatigue and 'deficient driver oversight by Greyhound,' including the company's failure to address the driver's 'recurring unsafe driving behaviors.' Records compiled during the investigation showed the driver had been involved in four prior accidents, two of which were deemed preventable, and an electronic monitor caught him driving over the speed limit on repeated occasions. A spokesman said via email 'Greyhound Lines has fully cooperated with the NTSB since the beginning of this investigation' but declined further comment, citing ongoing litigation. The westbound bus, with 22 passengers, entered the rest area near Highland, 32 miles (about 51 kilometers) east of St. Louis at 1:48 a.m. on July 12, 2023. It slid along the sides of three trucks parked for the night. None of the truck drivers was hurt, but three bus passengers were killed and the bus driver and 11 other passengers were injured. The report also noted that injuries could have been minimized if more passengers had been wearing safety belts provided. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted a rule in 2019 requiring commercial buses to have seatbelts for the driver and every passenger. Illinois law requires the use of seatbelts.
