Driver fatigue is recognised as a major factor in accidents involving long-haul truck drivers. One way in which long-haul truck drivers decrease their fatigue level is through the use of tractors equipped with sleeper berth units. However even with these units, the quality and quantity of sleep that a driver obtains may not equal what they would receive if they were sleeping at home. With that in mind, the primary goal of this project was to assess the impact that sleeper berth usage has on operator alertness. This Tech Brief summarises the study project and its results. One of the findings of the study suggests that the quality and depth of sleep was worse on the road, particularly for team drivers.
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