Each year people are injured or killed in crashes caused by sleepy drivers. It is debatable whether the existing regulatory framework is clear enough to lead to punishment but also if it is clear enough for the drivers to know when it is inappropriate to drive. The aim of the project was to investigate the concept of "fatigue" with a focus on clarifying what is required for a driver who caused an accident where fatigue was a contributing factor, to be punished. In addition, the aim has been to define the term so that road users know when there may be a risk of fatigue and thus refrain from driving. The Swedish law stated that it is not legal to drive when you are fatigued. However, there is no clear definition of what is meant by fatigued. The conclusion was that the regulations that exist today are not enough to trap fatigued drivers or fatigued drivers that cause a crash, especially not if they are private drivers. The view is that as long as there is no trustable and objective way to measure either fatigue or performance, it is not possible to find a better solution than the regulations that exist today. A future change should be in the demands on the ability to objectively determine whether fatigue of the driver has been a contributing factor. We recommend that the Swedish law remains as it is today until the objective way to measure fatigue or at least sleepiness is available. To assist drivers to avoid exposing themselves and others to dangerous driving we recommend that wherever possible avoid driving if they have been awake 19 hours or more and / or slept fewer than five hours the past continuous sleep. Furthermore, one should avoid driving during late night (between 03–06h) when most people are in the bottom of the circadian rhythm. Efforts to improve the drivers understanding of driver fatigue as a risk and how to avoid this is judged to be the most effective way to prevent driving in sleepy condition. Unfortunately there is a lack of clear responsibility for communication and information to drivers in Sweden, an important problem also in relation to driver sleepiness. Clarifications of whether this is an issue for the Swedish Transport Administration or the Swedish Transport Agency is essential. Other measures to reduce driving under sleepiness/fatigue condition are to ensure that fatigue is included as part of the ISO 39001 process and considered as a factor for future security in commercial traffic. In addition, for those drivers who need a medical assessment to drive there is a need for evidence based assessment criteria. Technical systems are predicted a good future if they manage to measure driver alertness and performance so that results can be integrated as part of ISO 39001.Also modelling of driver fatigue with respect to time of day, sleep and wakefulness is seen as useful for optimizing schedules for professional drivers. Continued work with milled rumble strips on the shoulders on motorways and at centre of the 1+1 rural road is welcomed. Finally it is important to build more rest areas that meet the requirements of private drivers and drivers of commercial vehicles. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting