Fit for purpose of on-the-road driving and simulated driving: A randomised crossover study using the effect of sleep deprivation

Abstract

Introduction Drivers should be aware of possible impairing effects of alcohol, medicinal substance, or fatigue on driving performance. Such effects are assessed in clinical trials, including a driving task or related psychomotor tasks. However, a choice between predicting tasks must be made. Here, we compare driving performance with on-the-road driving, simulator driving, and psychomotor tasks using the effect of sleep deprivation. Method This two-way cross over study included 24 healthy men with a minimum driving experience of 3000km per year. Psychomotor tasks, simulated driving, and on-the-road driving were assessed in the morning and the afternoon after a well-rested night and in the morning after a sleep-deprived night. Driving behaviour was examined by calculating the Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP). Results SDLP increased after sleep deprivation for simulated (10cm, 95%CI:6.7–13.3) and on-the-road driving (2.8cm, 95%CI:1.9–3.7). The psychomotor test battery detected effects of sleep deprivation in almost all tasks. Correlation between on-the-road tests and simulator SDLP after a well-rested night (0.63, p < .001) was not present after a night of sleep deprivation (0.31, p = .18). Regarding the effect of sleep deprivation on the psychomotor test battery, only adaptive tracking correlated with the SDLP of the driving simulator (-0.50, p = .02). Other significant correlations were related to subjective VAS scores. Discussion The lack of apparent correlations and difference in sensitivity of performance of the psychomotor tasks, simulated driving and, on-the-road driving indicates that the tasks may not be interchangeable and may assess different aspects of driving behaviour.

A crossover study evaluating the sex‐dependent and sensitizing effects of sleep deprivation using a nociceptive test battery in healthy subjects

“…The intervention to deprive subjects of sleep was successful, as observed from the KSS (sleepiness) and LSEQ (early morning behaviour) questionnaire results. While sleep deprivation significantly reduces attention and vigilance, 31 this likely did not bias results as others have discussed previously. 11 In case of reduced attention, a parallel shift in pain detection and tolerance is expected, plausibly on each pain modality in approximately the same manner.…”

“…A young age range was included as this study was part of a larger study in which we also assessed the effects of TSD on driving performance. 31 Recruiting older subjects for that test was considered unsafe. We did not correct for multiple statistical testing, which may have led to false positives in our results.…”

Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Hazard Types on the Visual Search Patterns and Hazard Response Times of Taxi Drivers

“…The between-group factor was driver group (sleep deprivation or control) and the within-group factor was hazard type (covert hazard or overt hazard). Based on previous research [4,10] on sleep deprivation for the purpose of the present study, sleep deprivation was defined as sleep restriction for at least 24 h (≥24 h awake), and drivers in the control group maintained a normal daily amount of sleep.…”

“…Numerous studies found that sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality among drivers lead to increased accident risk [4,[7][8][9]. Sleep deprivation refers to the deprivation of being unable to meet normal sleep requirements due to personal or work reasons [4,10,11]. Under sleep deprivation conditions, variation in the drivers' lateral position in a lane increases [12], and the frequency of lane departures [11,13] and velocity variability increase [14].…”