Driving Performance of Heavy-Duty Truck Drivers under Different Fatigue Levels at Signalized Intersections

Fatigue driving is considered one of the main risk factors contributing to truck accidents in transportation. Most of the existing studies, however, focus mainly on private car drivers, and in most cases, use driving simulators. To fill the gap of field-test driving studies focusing on truck drivers, in this study, we present the results of field tests of heavy-duty truck drivers’ driving performance at signalized intersections when the drivers are affected by fatigue. Kinematic driving parameters were collected as measurements of drivers’ driving performance, and the percentage of eye closure (PERCLOS) was collected to estimate drivers’ fatigue levels. The results indicate that drivers with higher fatigue levels tend to pass signalized intersections with higher speed but lower stability. Moreover, due to drivers’ fiercer actions and slower reactions when they are tired and off guard, accidents are more likely to occur at signalized intersections, where the traffic condition is really complex.