Ways to Reduce Driving Fatigue on the Road
Imagine driving a truck nonstop for ten to twelve hours every day for weeks or even months. Wouldn’t this lead to extreme driver fatigue and burnout, impacting their health and ability to perform? Little did you know, but it’s an extremely harrowing event amongst your fleet drivers.
?????????You don’t realize it, but your valuable drivers go through this every day.?
Why harrowing? Truck drivers deliver trips back to back even when they are very tired, risking their lives and your fleet's safety. And they feat reporting this, assuming you would question their competency.?
So, what happens next? Your burned-out and impaired drivers take the driving seat — pushing themselves to deliver the consignment anyhow. This results in them risking their lives and getting closer to life-threatening incidents.
Do you know that around 328,000 crashes occur annually due to drowsy driving?
Dear fleet managers, you must be aware of the implications of driver fatigue and learn how to avoid putting them on long hauls that strain hours of service.?
In this article, we will discuss precisely that and share ways to help drivers overcome the impact of driver fatigue with the successful integration of methods and technology.
Let’s get started!
What is Driver Fatigue?
Driver fatigue refers to physical or mental exhaustion commonly experienced after long hours of service, that too, without proper periods of breaks and rests. This leads to your drivers’ health and fleet performance, adding greatly to their inability to drive commercial vehicles attentively and safely.?
Fleet driver fatigue can result from long hours of driving, insufficient rest or sleep, monotonous driving conditions, and other factors. Here are the key factors that cause driver fatigue —
What is the Impact of Driving Fatigue on Fleet Drivers?
Fleet managers need to be aware of the impact of fatigue on fleet drivers:
1. Reduced Alertness and Concentration
Fatigue greatly reduces a driver's alertness and concentration. Sleepy drivers struggle to focus on the road and their surroundings.
This may cause one to overlook crucial indicators like shifting traffic signals, pedestrians, or other vehicles' movements.
Did you know: Driving after going more than 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08%?
2. Slower Reaction Time
Fatigue slows cognitive and motor functions, resulting in weak reflexes and response time.?
When drivers are tired or overworked, their ability to respond quickly to sudden changes in traffic conditions—such as a car stopping abruptly, a pedestrian crossing unexpectedly, or an obstacle on the road—is compromised.
This delayed reaction can be the difference between a near-miss and a collision.
3. Impaired Decision Making
Due to the cognitive impairment caused by weariness, drivers may make incorrect decisions. Weary drivers are likelier to make unsafe or poor judgments while evaluating speeds, distances, and other drivers' actions.
Additionally, they may not accurately assess and react to risky circumstances, which can lead to collisions and other reckless driving practices.
4. Health Issues
Working in prolonged fatigued conditions can lead to serious and chronic health problems.
Continuous lack of sleep and prolonged periods of alertness can cause sleep disorders, cardiovascular diseases, digestive issues, and mental health problems like depression and anxiety.
Fleet drivers who are constantly fatigued may also experience weakened immune systems, making them more susceptible to illnesses.
5. Decreased Productivity
Let’s face it — fatigued fleet drivers are prone to being less productive and efficient. They may need more frequent breaks, drive at slower speeds, and be more prone to making errors that can cause delays.
This can affect the fleet’s efficiency, leading to missed deadlines, longer delivery times, and reduced performance.
6. Increased Operational Costs
The impacts of fatigue can lead to higher operational costs. Accidents caused by drowsy driving can result in expensive vehicle repairs and increased insurance premiums. Health issues among drivers may lead to higher medical costs and absenteeism.
Additionally, decreased productivity and efficiency can affect the bottom line, leading to financial losses for the company.
Did you know: Fatigue-related crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities cost more than $109 billion annually, not including the cost of property damage.?
7. Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Many countries have strict regulations governing the number of hours a driver can work and mandatory rest periods to prevent fatigue-related accidents.
Non-compliance with these regulations can result in legal penalties, fines, and damage to the company’s reputation.
8. Driver Retention and Satisfaction
Fatigue negatively affects driver morale and job satisfaction. Drivers who are frequently tired are more likely to experience job dissatisfaction, burnout, and health problems. This can lead to higher turnover rates, as drivers may seek employment elsewhere to find better working conditions.
9. Impact on Public Safety
Fatigued drivers pose a significant risk to themselves, fleet safety, and other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Accidents caused by drowsy driving can have severe consequences for public safety, resulting in injuries or fatalities.
Addressing driver fatigue is crucial to ensuring the safety of everyone on the road and maintaining public trust in the safety of commercial transportation.
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6 Great Tips on Managing Driver Fatigue
Now that you’re well acquainted with how fatigue can impact fleet drivers, it’s time to learn some of the best ways to overcome it.
1. Ensure Periodic Rest/Break
Enforcing regular rest breaks and limiting driving hours ensures drivers get the necessary rest to stay alert and focused. Adequate rest periods reduce cumulative fatigue and help drivers maintain better concentration and reaction times.
Fleet managers can allocate halts or stops for rest while route planning and geofence them as well. This will allow drivers to get rest and managers to gain visibility.?
2. Leverage Driver Behaviour Monitoring System
Driver monitoring systems detect signs of drowsiness and alert drivers to take a break before they become severely fatigued.
TrackoBit’s driver behavior system is an expert in this area, as it deeply monitors drivers' driving patterns, such as overspeeding and harsh acceleration, which result from fatigued driving.
These systems provide real-time feedback, helping to prevent accidents caused by reduced alertness and slow reaction times. They also offer valuable data for fleet managers to assess and address fatigue-related issues.
3. Pay Extra Attention to Driver Scheduling
Optimizing schedules ensures that drivers have sufficient rest between shifts, reducing the likelihood of cumulative fatigue. If fleet managers avoid long, back-to-back shifts and plan routes that allow for regular breaks, then drivers can better maintain their physical and mental well-being.
4. Promote Health and Wellness
Encouraging healthy sleep habits, regular exercise, and proper nutrition helps drivers maintain a higher level of overall health and resilience against fatigue.
5. Prioritise Training and Education
Training programs that raise awareness about the dangers of fatigue and teach strategies for managing it empower drivers to take proactive steps in preventing drowsy driving.
Conducting regular driver training will help drivers recognize the signs of fatigue, respond appropriately to avoid dangerous situations, and maintain safer driving practices.
6. Make Good Use of Technology and Efficiency
Advanced fleet management software and remote monitoring tools improve route planning and overall fleet management system efficiency, reducing unnecessary driving time and stress.
We highly recommend minimizing time on the road without jeopardizing efficiency and productivity. This will reduce fatigue and allow drivers to maintain higher alertness and performance levels.
Technology That Can Help Reduce Driving Fatigue
Various technologies can help overcome fleet driver fatigue by monitoring driver behavior, optimizing routes, and ensuring compliance with rest regulations. Here are some key technologies:
1. Driver Monitoring Systems
In-cab cameras monitor drivers’ eyes, head position, and facial expressions to detect signs of drowsiness. When fatigue indicators are detected, the fleet driver monitoring system can alert the driver with audible or visual warnings.
In TrackoBit’s DMS solution, drivers and managers receive alerts about drowsiness, distracted driving, noncompliant activity, yawning, and more.?
2. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
ADAS alerts drivers when they unintentionally drift out of their lane, a common sign of drowsy driving. These systems use sensors and cameras to detect imminent collisions. ADAS can then automatically apply brakes or alert the driver to take action. ADAS software maintains a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, reducing the driver's cognitive load and helping to manage fatigue.
3. Telematics and GPS Vehicle Tracking
These two powerful subsets help plan the most efficient routes, minimizing driving time and reducing driver’s stress and fatigue. Telematics systems track driving patterns, speed, and break times, providing data to ensure drivers adhere to rest regulations and avoid excessive driving hours.
These tools analyze driving behavior and provide feedback on factors like harsh braking, rapid acceleration, and consistent speeding, which can contribute to fatigue.
4. Electronic Logging Devices?
ELDs automatically record driving hours and rest periods, ensuring compliance with Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations and reducing the administrative burden on drivers.
These devices can alert drivers and fleet managers when they are approaching the maximum allowed driving hours, helping to prevent fatigue-related violations.
Read more: Electronic Logging Devices- A Closer Look
5. Safety Alerts
TrackoBit prioritizes the safety of the drivers and vehicles, and in lieu of that, it offers a wide range of safety alerts and notifications such as:?
Conclusion
There you have it. We have discussed everything you need to know to understand and overcome driver fatigue. As a fleet manager, you are responsible for keeping your fleet drivers’ fatigue in check and providing adequate time to recover.
This is why you should conduct regular driver training to ensure drivers do not risk their lives just to meet your delivery expectations.
Most importantly, invest in necessary technology, like TrackoBit’s driver monitoring system, which allows you to monitor drivers' driving patterns and detect early signs of fatigue or drowsiness.
Contact us today for a free demo!