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Updated: Feb 21, 2026
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Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
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Are professional drivers less sleepy than non-professional drivers?
Anna Anund1, Christer Ahlström, Carina Fors
1Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Linköping, Sweden. anna.anund@vti.se.
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
|October 12, 2017
Summary
Professional drivers report less sleepiness but show physiological signs of fatigue, like longer blinks and more line crossings, when driving. This suggests experienced drivers may mask sleepiness differently than non-professionals.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Human Factors Engineering
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Professional drivers are believed to tolerate fatigue better than the general population.
- Research suggests professionals may adapt to night shifts and drive with high sleepiness.
- Limited studies compare professional and non-professional drivers under controlled conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if professional drivers exhibit greater resistance to sleep deprivation compared to non-professional drivers.
- To compare the development of self-reported, physiological, and behavioral sleepiness indicators during simulated driving.
Main Methods:
- A driving simulator study was conducted with 11 young professional drivers and 15 non-professional drivers.
- Sleepiness was assessed using subjective reports, blink duration, line crossings, and driving speed.
- Data were collected while participants drove under controlled conditions.
Main Results:
- Professional drivers reported significantly lower sleepiness levels than non-professional drivers.
- Physiological indicators showed professional drivers had longer blink durations and more line crossings.
- Professional drivers also exhibited faster driving speeds during the simulation.
Conclusions:
- Professional drivers self-report less sleepiness but display objective signs of increased sleepiness.
- The discrepancy may stem from professional drivers' experience with sleepiness or compensatory driving strategies.
- Findings highlight the complexity of assessing driver fatigue in professional versus non-professional groups.
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