Goal
To better understand driver fatigue issues and provide expert direction and support for future Agency research and methodologies.
Background
The Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT), a component of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)/National Research Council (NRC), conducted a panel study to identify optimal research and statistical methodologies to better understand driver fatigue. This study assessed the large amounts of data already generated by onboard electronic monitoring systems and naturalistic driving studies. NAS will inform the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the panel’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations once the final report has been completed. NAS will not make recommendations about hours-of-service (HOS) rules nor conduct cost-benefit analyses.
Summary
The CNSTAT study panel completed the following tasks:
- Evaluate and identify the most promising data collection methods for improved understanding of factors related to commercial motor vehicle driver fatigue, safety, and health.
- Review data collection methods including survey techniques, naturalistic driving studies, and electronic logging devices.
- Examine issues relating to the analysis of vast stores of data.
- Identify priorities for future research that can improve the validity and generalizability of relevant knowledge.
- Assess the usefulness of fatigue management and monitoring technologies to provide data for fatigue- and safety-related HOS research.
- Assess the usefulness of data and statistical models that will assist FMCSA in their research to improve highway safety by reducing fatigue.
- Assess statistical methods used to analyze data sets generated by driver monitoring technologies.
Outcomes
A final report will be available to the public.
Milestones
September 2014: Kick-off meeting
December 2015: Final report in NAS review
March 2016: Final report to be published
Funding
FY 2011–13: $985,000
Current Status
Final report forthcoming.
Contractor
CNSTAT
Updated: Thursday, March 3, 2016