Prolonged exposure to glare and driving time: effects on performance in a driving simulator

Area of Science:

• Human Factors and Ergonomics
• Transportation Safety
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Glare from vehicle headlights can be a significant distraction for drivers.
• Understanding the impact of prolonged exposure to glare on driving performance is crucial for road safety.
• Truck drivers face unique challenges due to long driving hours and potential exposure to glare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of intermittent glare on truck driver performance in a simulated environment.
• To determine if prolonged exposure to glare impairs driving tasks, including vehicle control and target detection.
• To examine the relationship between glare, time-on-task, and subjective sleepiness in experienced truck drivers.

Main Methods:

• Twelve experienced truck drivers participated in two 8-hour simulated driving sessions.
• Sessions included conditions with no glare and intermittent glare simulating headlights.
• Driving tasks involved vehicle control, pedestrian detection, and rear-view mirror target detection.

Main Results:

• No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that prolonged glare exposure impairs driving performance.
• Time-related changes in target detection and critical tracking performance were observed.
• Subjective sleepiness ratings increased over the driving sessions, correlating with diurnal variations.

Conclusions:

• Truck drivers may possess compensatory mechanisms to maintain performance despite increasing subjective tiredness and potential impairment.
• The study suggests that drivers can effectively manage early levels of impairment, masking the true impact of fatigue and glare.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and adaptive strategies in professional driving.