The Impact of Driving, Non-Driving Work, and Rest Breaks on Driving Performance in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operations

Blanco, Myra; Hanowski, Richard J.; Olson, Rebecca L.; Morgan, Justin F.; Soccolich, Susan; Wu, Shih-Ching; Guo, Feng · 2011 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1037/e625382011-001

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Summary

This study, sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), investigates the impact of driving hours, total work hours, and rest breaks on the safety performance of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The research addresses gaps in understanding how time-on-task affects the risk of safety-critical events (SCEs), particularly regarding the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour workday limit prescribed by hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. The study aims to characterize the average CMV driver’s workday and determine whether non-driving work contributes to fatigue-related risks similarly to driving. The analysis utilized data from the Naturalistic Truck Driving Study, involving 97 drivers from four for-hire trucking companies who drove instrumented trucks for approximately four weeks each. This yielded about 735,000 miles of continuous driving data. Researchers employed a data acquisition system to record vehicle dynamics and driver behavior, alongside daily activity registers to log driving, non-driving work, and rest periods. The study defined SCEs using specific trigger types, such as lane departures and hard braking. Statistical analyses, including negative binomial models and odds ratio calculations, assessed the relationship between SCE risk and driving hours, work hours, and break patterns. The results characterized the average CMV driver’s shift as consisting of 66% driving, 23% non-driving work, and 11% rest. Analyses revealed a significant time-on-task effect for both driving and work hours. The risk of an SCE increased progressively as driving hours accumulated, with a notable rise in risk during the 11th hour of driving. Crucially, the study found that SCE risk also increased as total work hours increased, suggesting that fatigue accumulates during non-driving tasks as well. Drivers who performed several hours of non-driving work before driving late into the 14-hour workday exhibited higher SCE risks, indicating an interaction between driving and non-driving time. Conversely, breaks from driving were found to be beneficial; the SCE rate decreased significantly in the one-hour window following a break, effectively counteracting the negative effects of accumulated time-on-task. The findings imply that current HOS regulations, which focus primarily on driving hours, may not fully account for fatigue generated by non-driving work. The study suggests that time-on-task effects are not limited to driving alone but are influenced by the total duration of the work shift. Consequently, the authors conclude that regulatory frameworks should consider the cumulative impact of both driving and non-driving work on driver fatigue. Furthermore, the effectiveness of breaks in reducing SCE risk supports the importance of mandatory rest periods in mitigating fatigue-related safety risks in commercial motor vehicle operations.

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Topics

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• time on task
• truck driver fatigue
• shift work driving
• hours of service
• circadian factors

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data