Conference Proceeding

The Long Road Home: Driving Performance and Ocular Measurements of Drowsiness Following Night Shift-Work

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Abstract

Because time-of-day effects on sleepiness interact with duration of prior waking, the commute home following a night shift is an especially vulnerable time for night shift workers. The current study aimed to explore the impact of night shift work on critical driving events as well as to explore physiological indices leading up to these events. Sixteen healthy night shift workers (18-65 years) each participated in two 2-hour driving sessions in an instrumented vehicle on a driving track. A baseline driving session was conducted following a night of rest, while another session was conducted following a night of shift work. Objective physiological measurements of drowsiness were monitored and collected continuously throughout the drive session as well as different measures of driving performance. Following the night-shift, drivers had higher Johns Drowsiness Scores (based on ocular measures) and were more likely to experience lane excursion events and investigator-initiated braking events than following a night’s rest. While they also reported increasing failures in lane keeping ability, the pattern was not always consistent with actual observed data. The implications for countermeasures are discussed.

How to Cite:

Horrey, W. & Liang, Y. & Lee, M. & Howard, M. & Anderson, C. & Shreeve, M. & O'Brien, C. & Czeisler, C., (2013) “The Long Road Home: Driving Performance and Ocular Measurements of Drowsiness Following Night Shift-Work”, Driving Assessment Conference 7(2013), 255-256. doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/drivingassessment.1497

Rights: Copyright © 2013 the author(s)