The Effects of Driving Situation on Sleepiness Indicators after Sleep Loss: A Driving Simulator Study

ANUND, Anna; KECKLUND, Göran; KIRCHER, Albert; TAPANI, Andreas; ÅKERSTEDT, Torbjörn · 2009 · Crossref

DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.47.393

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Summary

This study investigates how driving complexity influences physiological and behavioral indicators of sleepiness following sleep loss. While previous research on drowsy driving predominantly utilized monotonous simulator scenarios, this work aimed to determine if more challenging traffic interactions could mitigate or mask the effects of fatigue. The researchers hypothesized that complex scenarios might resist the rapid onset of sleepiness typically observed in simple simulator tasks. The experiment involved 17 shift workers who participated in a high-fidelity moving-base driving simulator study under two conditions: after a normal night’s sleep and after a night awake (total sleep deprivation). Participants drove for 60 minutes on a rural road scenario that alternated between free driving (no other vehicles) and car-following situations, which occasionally presented opportunities to overtake slower vehicles. Sleepiness was monitored using electrooculography (EOG) to measure blink duration, lateral position variability, and subjective ratings via the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale. The study also included a safety-critical event where participants passed a stopped school bus, with and without prior warning. Results indicated that sleep loss significantly increased blink duration and lateral variability compared to the rested condition, confirming the presence of physiological sleepiness. However, the driving situation modulated these indicators. Specifically, blink duration during overtaking maneuvers was significantly shorter than during free driving or car-following, returning to levels comparable to the rested state. This suggests that the cognitive demand of overtaking temporarily suppressed physiological signs of sleepiness. In contrast, moderately challenging tasks like simple car-following did not alter sleepiness indicators. Regarding the school bus scenario, sleep loss did not significantly affect the speed at which drivers passed the bus, but prior warning information caused a more rapid reduction in speed regardless of alertness levels. The findings imply that complex driving tasks, particularly overtaking, can mask latent sleepiness by inducing temporary alertness. This challenges the extrapolation of results from monotonous simulator studies to real-world driving, where variable traffic conditions may reduce the apparent severity of fatigue. The authors conclude that field operational tests of sleepy driving must account for driving context, as stimulating scenarios may hide impairment indicators while potentially leaving drivers unaware of their underlying risk.

Key finding

While sleep loss increased physiological sleepiness indicators during monotonous driving, the cognitive demand of overtaking maneuvers significantly reduced blink duration, effectively masking signs of sleepiness.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 17

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Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• sleep deprivation
• drowsiness
• drowsiness detection algorithms
• vigilance
• time on task
• circadian factors

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: physiological data, behavioral performance data
• Methodological Resource: tool software