title: Factors in the fatigue of heavy vehicle drivers.
abstract: This study assessed work-related and driver-related factors in fatigue among Finnish heavy vehicle drivers. 683 professional drivers responded to a questionnaire, 27.8% of whom reported often feeling fatigue during their work shifts. Of the respondents, 27.5% reported having momentarily fallen asleep at the wheel while driving during the past year. Almost half (46.8%) of the fatigued drivers estimated the reasons for momentarily falling asleep were work-related. Long working shifts and short sleeps significantly increased the risk of momentarily falling asleep at the wheel. The risk of fatigue was the highest for the drivers who were unable to choose the time of their breaks.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland. pia.perttula@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perttula
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ojala
authors.forename: Eeva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuosma
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005387:Finland; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance