Individual differences in driver risk acceptance during sleep deprivation.

This paper investigates the role of decisional processes in fatigued drivers. Test subjects were asked to perform a simple computer-based driving task during a period of sleep deprivation. Individual performance was simulated using a mathematical model of driver risk acceptance. Drivers accept risk by initiating manoeuvres before having sufficient information to determine the consequences. The results suggested that the modelling used could be employed to detect changes in risk taking resulting from sleep loss, and could therefore be useful in developing in-car driver support systems to include countermeasures. For the covering abstract see ITRD E113725 (C 22328 CD-ROM).