Driver fatigue and falling asleep - experience, knowledge and action among private drivers and professional drivers

Driver fatigue or falling asleep is recognized to be among the most important causative factors in road crashes. In this project drivers' experience, knowledge and action in relation to fatigue and falling asleep while driving, is evaluated and discussed. Private drivers and professional drivers are evaluated separately. The project has shown that sleepiness and falling asleep is a widespread phenomenon among drivers and that they have knowledge of the problem. However, few act in accordance with their knowledge. While drivers are aware of the fact that sufficient sleep before a drive and that a nap during a drive are among the most important countermeasures, there are few drivers who actually take these measures respectively before and during a longer trip.