Fatigue, Health and CMV Driving Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Driver fatigue as a factor contributing to accidents and crashes involving commercial vehicles remains a top priority in improving transportation safety. Research has investigated the role of long work hours, job stress, personality characteristics including empathy and aggressiveness as significant influences on transportation safety. The Department of Transportation (DOT) suspended the hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for truck drivers during the coronavirus pandemic. The suspension was intended to ensure continuation of essential services as delivery demands soared. Changes in the hours of service rules due to emergency conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 have created conditions that may affect driver behavior and transportation safety. The present study examines the role of fatigue, personality characteristics, long work hours and commercial vehicle driver behavior in relation to traffic citations, accidents and crashes. Comparisons of current number of hours driven, psychological mood, stress and other personality characteristics along with indicators of driver safety will be made with data collected prior to the pandemic. Results of the study will document changes in fatigue and driver safety during the pandemic emergency and contribute to the validation of an effective personality measure and screening instrument to identify safe and effective commercial vehicle operators.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $250000
  • Contract Numbers:

    69A3551747108

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Managing Organizations:

    Mountain-Plains Consortium

    North Dakota State University
    Fargo, ND  United States  58108
  • Project Managers:

    Tolliver, Denver

  • Performing Organizations:

    National Center for Intermodal Transportation

    University of Denver
    Denver, CO  United States  80208
  • Principal Investigators:

    Sherry, Patrick

    Chao, Ruth

  • Start Date: 20210112
  • Expected Completion Date: 20240731
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program
  • Source Data: MPC-646

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01762845
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Mountain-Plains Consortium
  • Contract Numbers: 69A3551747108
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Jan 27 2021 4:35PM