Research on shiftwork has shown that fatigue and related performance problems increase at night. In Australia, this has lead to calls to limit night work for long distance heavy vehicle drivers. However the evidence for diminished performance at night among heavy vehicle drivers is equivocal, and the risks posed need to be weighed against different safety risks inherent in daytime driving. This study sought to directly compare the impact of day and night shift rosters on the fatigue and performance of heavy vehicle drivers going about their normal work. Self-reported fatigue increased similarly over the week for all drivers, but more over individual night shifts than individual day shifts. There were also indications of slowing response speed over the week but this effect was not different for night and day drivers. In short, night shifts made drivers feel more tired than day shifts, but did not produce significantly poorer performance, suggesting that night drivers can manage their fatigue. Whether these results would also apply to drivers working the types of irregular shifts common in the longhaul road transport industry requires further investigation. (Author/publisher)
Abstract