Citation

Morrow PC, Crum MR. J. Saf. Res. 2004; 35(1): 59-69.

Affiliation

Department of Management, Iowa State University, 2350 Gerdin Business Building, Ames, IA 50011-1350, USA. pmorrow@iastate.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2003.07.004

PMID

14992847

Abstract

PROBLEM: Minimizing driver fatigue among commercial motor-vehicle (CMV) drivers is a major safety issue in the United States. This study examines the effects of potentially fatigue-inducing factors inherent in truck driving work and company safety management in explaining: (a) drivers driving while fatigued, (b) the frequency of close calls due to fatigue, and (c) actual crashes among CMV drivers. METHOD: Data for this study are derived from a survey of CMV drivers in 116 trucking firms, with all data being driver-reported. The relative roles of fatigue-inducing factors and safety management practices in explaining variation in fatigue, close calls, and crashes are reported, along with the roles of fatigue in affecting close calls and crashes via hierarchical regression. RESULTS: Findings indicated that fatigue-inducing factors inherent in driving work and safety practices accounted for appreciable variation in driving fatigued (R(2) =.42) and close calls (R(2) =.35), but not crash involvement. Driving while fatigued also accounted for incremental increases in the amount of variation in close calls, after consideration of inherent factors and safety practices. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Findings indicate that safety practices (e.g., establishment of a strong safety culture, dispatcher scheduling practices, company assistance with fatiguing behaviors such as loading and unloading) have considerable potential to offset fatigue-inducing factors associated with truck driving work.