session23 lowenthal

Kentucky Lifesavers ConferenceFatigue and Driver Safety: 

Kentucky Lifesavers Conference Fatigue and Driver Safety April 25, 2006 Stuart Lowenthal, Executive Vice President and Founder, The Little Clinic (Louisville) Kathryn Hansen, Executive Director Kentucky Sleep Society (Lexington)

ROADBLOCKS TO HIGHWAY SAFETY: 

ROADBLOCKS TO HIGHWAY SAFETY

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HIGH CRASH STATES Crash Rate > 1.25 x Average

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FATALITIES Source: KY Transportation Center. December 2005

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15 people are killed every day in truck related crashes More truck drivers are killed on the job than any other type of employee. Highway fatalities = An airliner crashing every week Lack of sleep is the #1 factor leading to driver fatigue HARD FACTS

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A Glance at Sleep Time Before and After Daylight Savings Time Changes    Effects on Vehicle Crashes    Spring: When we lose 1 hour of sleep, crashes increased more than 7%   Fall: When we gain 1 hour of sleep, crashes decreased more than 7%     NOTE: There are also more reported crashes in the fall due to more hours of darkness. What a Difference an Hour Makes

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Education Reduces Sleepiness Injuries EDS: Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Percentages of non-shift daytime workers with EDS (n=120) sustaining occupational injuries in 1997, 1998 and 1999, and the corresponding percentages among workers without EDS (n=412), and the time of the sleep disorders education. Ref. SLEEP, Vol 25, No. 3, 2002 pp. 317 Sleep disorders education

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WHAT IS FATIGUE?

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Poor sleep is common in our 24/7 Society. Inability to concentrate & focus on details. Decision making & performance impaired. Drivers attention and reactions affected. Fatigue/weariness can be managed in the U.S. but few industries take initiative. Drivers can learn to minimize fatigue. (Cont’d on next page) FATIGUE: A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD

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Healthful sleep: Important Risk Management tool. Weariness cannot be “toughed out”. (Stuart’s Story) “Fatigue” may be a sleep disorder. Can treat with success medically. FATIGUE: A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD

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Job Demands workload & breaks shift duration type of work Human Biology sleep body clock health, age Work Organization trip scheduling work predictability pay system Life Outside Work family & friends commuting standard of living WHAT CAUSES FATIGUE?

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Sleep Restrictions Profoundly Reduces Performance (University of Pennsylvania with 35 healthy adults)

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17 Hours = .05% Blood Alcohol KENTUCKY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: .08% Blood Alcohol 24 Hours = .10% Blood Alcohol Dawson and Reid. Center for Sleep Research - University of Australia 1997 SUSTAINED WAKEFULNESS

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Human Contributing Factors in Fatal Crashes 150 158 Source: KY Transportation Center. November 2005

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“Study traces link between accidents and being sleepy behind the wheel” By: Brigitte Greenberg / Associated Press Half had less than 6 hours sleep the night before crash. Long haul truckers awake for 20 hours plus when crashed. Half interviewed drivers felt only slightly or no drowsiness. Experts feel 15% of ALL crashes due to lack of sleep. RESEARCHER: JANE STUTTS AT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY SAFETY CENTER DROWSY DRIVERS RECEIVE A ‘WAKE-UP CALL’

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ALERTNESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

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Nightly Sleep Six (6) hours or less = 70% earlier death rate. Compared with 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night. California Department of Health Study (9 year study) SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Less Sleep = Earlier Death

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SLEEP DURATION

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Night verses day driving (truck and simulator studies) greater sleepiness slower speed more erratic steering more erratic lane position Accident risk (allowing for the number of trucks on the road) midnight - 8 am, dozing driver accidents 7 times more likely than during the day (USA) 3 am – 5 am single vehicle accident risk 3 times higher than 8 am – 4 pm (Sweden) Time of Day and Driving

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SINGLE VEHICLE TRUCK CRASHES

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- Negatively affects work & driving performance.   -    Identified as the cause of an increased number of injuries and death. (National Sleep Foundation, 1997)  -    During evening and nights workers are 3x more likely to suffer an injury (Liberty Mutual Research Center Study) CONSEQUENCES OF DRIVING SLEEPY & FATIGUED

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Falling Asleep at the Wheel