Truck Driver Behaviour and Perceptions Study
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TRUCK DRIVER BEHAVIOUR AND PERCEPTIONS STUDY FINAL REPORT by Narelle L. Haworth Peter Vulcan Michael T. Schulze Bill Foddy August 1991 Report No. 18 MONASH UNIVERSITY ACCIDENT RESEARCH CENTRE REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Report No. Report Date ISBN Pages 18 August 1991 0732600197 86 Title and sub-tide: lRUCK DRIVER BEHAVIOUR AND PERCEPTIONS STUDY Author(s) Type of Report & Period Covered Haworth, N. L. FINAL REPORT, 1990-91 Vulcan,P. SchuIze, M. T. Foddy,B. Sponsoring Organisation. VICROADS Abstract: This report describes the development, administration and results of a questionnaire study of drivers of articulated vehicles. The study had three aims • to collect information about driving behaviours and safety-related attitudes • to compare the behaviours and attitudes of drivers who had been involved in injury crashes with those who had not been involved to identify problem areas warranting review • to provide information about how to effectively commmunicate with target groups. Crash-involved drivers had poor coping behaviours in relation to driver fatigue but rated their ability in this area highly, had less often received training and were less likely to check their truck daily. Behaviours and attitudes related to speed judgement, behaviour of other road users, drug taking and alcohol were similar for the two groups. In regard to communication with drivers, the study recommended that the use of intermediary organisations to disseminate information from VIC ROADS to drivers. Acknowledging the skills of drivers and appealing to their professionalism may also be a successful technique. Drivers wanted to be better at keeping calm when held up on the road and felt that car drivers should be trained not to cut in on them and that an endorsed licence should be required for towing a caravan. KeyWords: Disclaimer: Heavy vehicle driver, Attitude (psychol), This report is disseminated in the interests of Driver behaviour, Accident involvement, information exchange. The views expressed Fatigue (Human), Driver training, are those of the authors, and not necessarily Victoria those of Monash University. Reproduction of this page is authorised. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements i Executive Summary ii 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Earlier studies 1 1.1.1 Overseas studies 2 1.1.2 Australian studies 4 1.2 Sleep apnoea and road safety 5 2 Sampling 7 2.1 Interviewing drivers of articulated vehicles only 7 2.2 Construction of "random" and "crash" samples 7 2.2.1 Random sample 8 2.2.2 Crash sample 8 2.3 Final composition of the sample 9 3 Method 11 3.1 Development of the questionnaire 11 3.1.1 Discussion groups 11 3.1.2 Piloting of draft questionnaire 11 3.1.3 The final questionnaire 12 3.2 Selection and training of interviewers 12 3.3 Interviews of random sample 13 3.4 Interviews of crash sample 14 3.5 Coding open-ended questions 14 4 Results 15 4.1 General characteristics of crash- and noncrash-involved drivers 15 4.1.1 Crash characteristics 17 4.2 Vehicle characteristics 18 4.3 Training 22 4.3.1 Perceived abilities and needs for improvement 23 4.4 Speed judgement 25 4.5 Hours of driving 26 4.5.1 Time spent in loading 28 4.6 Driving stresses and coping strategies 28 4.6.1 Driver fatigue 28 4.6.2 Other road users 33 4.7 Drug taking 35 4.8 Alcohol 37 Page 4.9 Health 38 4.9.1 Weight and exercise 38 4.9.2 Diet 39 4.9.3 Medical check-up 41 4.9.4 Discomfort 42 4.9.5 Characteristics of sleep 42 4.9.6 Leisure 45 4.10 Financial position 46 4.10.1 Income 46 4.10.2 Debts 47 5 Discussionof the results 49 5.1 Behaviours and attitudes of crash- and noncrash-involved drivers 49 5.1.1 Crash involvement and driver fatigue 49 5.1.2 Crash involvementand driver training 52 5.1.3 Crash involvementand vehiclefactors 52 5.2 Crash characteristics 52 5.3 Speedjudgement 53 5.4 Drug taking 54 5.5 Alcohol 55 5.6 Sleepapnoea 56 5.6.1 The incidence of sleep apnoea in semitrailer drivers 56 5.6.2 Sleepapnoea and crash involvement 56 5.6.3 Incidence of risk factors 56 6 General discussionand recommendations 57 6.1 Validity of self-report data 57 6.2 Issues of methodology 58 6.3 Communication with drivers 58 6.4 Proposals for training 60 6.4.1 Truck driver training 60 6.4.2 Training of other road users 61 References 62 Appendix 1: Truck driver questionnaire Appendix 2: Coding of open-ended questions TABLE OF TABLES Page Table 1. Crash rate as shown by numbers of fatal and hospital admission 7 crashes per 10000registered vehicles in 1983. Table 2. Numbers of drivers of articulated vehicles according to random or 10 crash sample and self-reported casualty crash or not. Table 3. General characteristics of crash- and noncrash-involveddrivers. 16 Table 4. Responses by crash- and noncrash-involvedemployees to the 17 question" Approximately how many trucks does your employer operate out of this depot?" Table 5. Characteristics of vehicles driven by crash- and noncrash- 19 involved drivers. Table 6. Distribution of truck ages for crash- and noncrash-involved 20 drivers. Table 7. Items checked on the last trip. 21 Table 8. Types of training received by crash- and noncrash-involved 23 drivers. Table 9. Mean ability ratings, the percentages of drivers who nominated 24 each ability as important and the percentages who wished to improve each ability. Table 10. Mean estimates of following and stopping distances at 25 various speeds. Table 11. Speed you would travel at and dangerous speed on road 26 shown in photograph. Table 12. Estimated distance and duration of the last round trip and 27 distance driven per week. Table 13. Effects ofloading. 28 Table 14. Responses to questions related to tiredness and rest. 29 Table 15. Actions performed by drivers in order to keep awake. 30 Table 16. Steps taken to keep the cab as cold as possible to stay awake. 31 Table 17. Frequency and number of stops for drivers who do trips that take all day. 31 Page Table 18. Reported activities during the fIrst four stops of the last round trip 32 for drivers who do trips that take all day. Table 19. Relative importance of factors which make it difficult to stop for 33 drivers who do trips that take all day. Table 20. Drivers' responses to cars cutting in on them and making 34 them slow down. Table 21. Drivers' responses to questions about shouting or becoming 34 angry with people either in the depot or on the road. Table 22. Drivers' responses to questions about use of "stay awake pills". 35 Table 23. Drivers' responses to questions about alcohol consumption. 37 Table 24. Estimates of height and weight and derived Driver Body Mass 38 Indices (BMIs) and driver fItness. Table 25. Drivers' responses to questions concerning eating habits. 40 Table 26. Food and drink usually consumed while driving along 41 in the truck. Table 27. Time elapsed since last general medical checkup. 42 Table 28. Responses to questions about feeling uncomfortable after 43 sitting in the cab for long periods of time. Table 29. Drivers' responses to questions about sleep characteristics. 44 Table 30. Responses to questions concerning leisure activities. 46 Table 31. Drivers' income and normal method of payment. 47 Table 32. Amount of money owed on the truck. 48 Table 33. A summary of differences in the behaviours and attitudes of 50 crash- and noncrash-involved drivers. Table 34. Stopping distances in metres from 100 km/h and 115 km/h. 54 11 TABLE OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Photograph presented to drivers. 13 Figure 2. Driver estimates of distance travelled prior to crash. 18 Figure 3. Reported frequency of checking the truck by crash-involved 20 and noncrash-involved drivers. Figure 4. Types of load carried on the last trip by crash-involved 22 and noncrash-involved drivers. Figure 5. Ratings by crash-involved and noncrash-involved drivers 24 of ability to keep calm when delayed at the depot. Figure 6. Estimates of percentage of truck drivers who take stay awake pills 36 on a regular basis by drivers who take pills and drivers who do not take pills. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The successful outcome of a project of this magnitude depends very much on the contributions, support and goodwill of many individuals and organisations. The authors wish to gratefully acknowledge and thank the following for their much appreciated assistance with this study: Firstly, we would like to thank all the truck drivers who gave willingly of their time. We were very appreciative of their frankness and their desire to have their opinions heard. The project was funded by VIC ROADS and managed by the Road Safety Division. Particular thanks go to Antoniette Cavallo, John Lambert and Warwick Pattinson. The concept of this project arose from initial work by Grazina Mackiewicz. Comments on draft reports were provided by Sandra Torpey, John Cunningham, Mike Hull and John Lambert. The interest and input of Max Cameron and Sandra Torpey has been appreciated. At MUARC, Colleen Heffeman and Michael Schulze contacted trucking depots and assigned interviewers to locations. Annette Leening of MUARC undertook transfer of data from the Police to MUARC. Our thanks to Or Brian Fildes for use of the road scene photo from his study of attitudes to speeding. We appreciate the diligence of all of our interviewers: Paul Woods, Caro Clark, Belinda Robson, Jeremy van Langenberg, Renee Cross, Lucy Haake, Jan Mollison, Michael Schulze and Randall Nickson.