Chapter 2.1: Fatigue-related consequences on road crashes

Driver fatigue is a common phenomenon in road traffic. The risk of getting involved in a crash increases considerably when a driver is fatigued. Driver fatigue plays a role in an estimated 15 to 20% of road crashes. In high-income countries, the socio-economic cost of fatigue-related road crashes can be expected to amount to 0.66% of its gross domestic product annually. Fatigue-related crashes often happen between midnight and dawn, on a high-speed road without passengers, with the vehicle running off the road or colliding with a stopped or slow-moving vehicle, while the driver had a clear view of the road ahead. Truck drivers, shift workers, young men, people with untreated sleep disorders, and taxi drivers are particularly prone to fatigue-related road crashes.