Management of Fatigue in Road Transport

(Extracts from recommendations made at the Second International Conference on Fatigue in Transportation at Fremantle in Western Australia - 1996) 

MOVES to get the government, the transport industry and the community involved in finding solutions to the problem of driver fatigue were discussed over two days at the conference. Delegates agreed that driver fatigue arose not only from the number of hours spent at the wheel, but also from other causes. Limiting driving hours did not address all the problems. Effective fatigue management called for a close examination of all the causes. 

It was accepted that at present there was no single, unequivocal, direct measurement of fatigue by which affected drivers may be identified. It was hoped that future research would provide answers. However, it was agreed that self-assessment for fatigue needed to be encouraged. At present this was the only way to detect fatigue. Research indicated that most drivers were aware of their likelihood of falling asleep, but failed to appreciate the imminence of actually doing so at the wheel.

It was less clear to what extent drivers were aware of their own decline in vigilance during long driving spells. Pro-longed driving might therefore lead to impaired performance such as lengthened reaction times and increased risk taking, long before nodding off occurred. For self-assessment to be effective, the education of drivers and the industry, about the warning signs of declining vigilance and drowsiness, needed to be done. A start had been made in the United States and Australia. However, much remained to be done to inform drivers about the causes and dangers of declining vigilance and drowsiness. There was an important public health role for governments in providing education.

Among the recommendations was the fact that governments had four areas of responsibility. They were:

• The promotion of research into fatigue, and potential solutions. However, it was noted that industry involvement in research was also desirable because of the need to collect data, not only from drivers engaged in haulage operations, but also to improve industry practices.

• The implementation of education programmes about fatigue for the driver, the industry and the community. For drivers, information on reducing their exposure to fatigue was important. This would involve media dissemination of information on the causes of fatigue, signs of declining vigilance and onset of drowsiness, and the most appropriate countermeasures to fatigue. Health related information also needed to focus on drugs. It was a fact that stimulant drug use was widespread in the road transport industry as a solution to the sometime unrealistic demands of delivery schedules. Because this was not recognised as a health problem, no information was available on the drugs' effects and the costs to drivers' health. This information was vital to the industry if drug related harm was to be minimised.

• Governments had ultimate responsibility for road transport infrastructure. The cost effectiveness of several fatigue countermeasures such as rumble strips, painted edge lining and sufficient rest areas needed to be investigated and implemented where possible. Improving the quality of the road transport system to better cope with the increasing fleet of light and heavy vehicles, was a high priority for road safety.

• Governments had a key role in implementing cost-effective road-based countermeasures to fatigue. They needed to bring together stakeholders in road transport to facilitate appropriate legislation to limit fatigue. Limiting driving hours might not be the most cost effective solution to controlling fatigue, although it might be the most practical strategy to ensure that drivers had adequate time for continual sleep during each 24-hour period. However, it was difficult to enforce, and undue emphasis on regulating driving hours, might distract from alternative strategies such as the development of industry based fatigue management systems.

• There was a need for appropriate legislation that could be enforceable. The legislation must produce an expectation that breaches would be prosecuted at all levels of the organisation and not restricted to drivers. Non-compliance must not produce the expectation of commercial gain. An appropriate framework to control fatigue was the occupational health and safety legislation. The development of an industry-wide fatigue management plan was considered an appropriate mechanism to regulate fatigue.

The industry on the other hand had a duty to care for its workers and should provide a safe work environment as provided for in the occupational health and safety legislation. This included setting reasonable trip schedules, regulating the driving and working hours, providing adequate arrangements for rest and recovery at the depot and elsewhere. It also needed to provide appropriate education on fatigue and other occupational health matters such as drug use and should participate in the development of industry-wide fatigue management programmes as part of its self-regulation.

The industry also had a responsibility to the community to provide not only a productive service but also a safe one. The community expectation was that merchandise and produce would be delivered in a timely and safe manner. To meet these expectations, the industry must self regulate effectively by adopting fatigue management plans that were open to public audit. It should accept that regulation must take place at all levels of the organisation, and that not only the driver but also the organisation were responsible for the effective operation of a safe management plan.

The community also should engage in education programmes at all levels on the causes and countermeasures to fatigue. The costs and benefits of introducing safer work practices to better manage fatigue in the industry should be debated widely.

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