Effects of vehicle vibration on driver alertness: a pilot study

Abstract

Road accidents resulting from the loss of driving alertness cause significant social and economic damage. In recent years, studies have revealed that whole-body vibration affects driver drowsiness directly. However, the impact of different frequency ranges of vibration on driver alertness has not been extensively explored. This driving simulator study aimed to investigate the impact of low frequency (1-4 Hz) and high frequency (16-32 Hz) whole-body vibration on a driver's reaction time during a monotonous highway driving task. Nine participants completed the task for one hour, with reaction tasks presented every 8-12 seconds. After 25 minutes of exposure to whole-body vibration, participants exhibited significantly longer reaction times for both low and high frequency ranges when compared to the control condition. The low frequency range had a stronger effect on driver vigilance, with reaction times increasing by as much as 135 ms within 35 minutes. Subjective evaluations using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) were consistent with the reaction time results. Overall, this study confirms that both low and high frequency vibration can reduce driver alertness, with the effect of low frequency vibration being more pronounced. Further research is suggested with larger sample sizes and wider frequency ranges.