Professional Drivers Research Articles

Motorist's Vestibular Disorientation Syndrome (MVDS)-Proposed Diagnostic Criteria.

Motorist's vestibular disorientation syndrome (MVDS) is a disorder in which patients experience dizziness while driving. MVDS is under-reported in the literature, and in clinical practice, it often goes unrecognized. We identified clinical characteristics of patients with MVDS using data from 24 patients who faced difficulties while driving and were diagnosed with MVDS. Their symptoms, duration of illness, precipitating factors, co-morbidities, history of other neuro-otological disorders, severity of symptoms, and associated anxiety and depression were reviewed. Ocular motor movements were recorded using video-nystagmography. Patients with vestibular disorders that can cause similar symptoms while driving were excluded. The mean age of the patients was 45.7 ± 8.7 years, and most were professional drivers (90.5%). The duration of the illness ranged from eight days to ten years. Most patients presented with disorientation (79.2%) exclusively while driving. The most common triggers for symptoms were higher speeds, i.e., >80 km/h (66.7%), multi-lane roads (58.3%), bends and turns (50%), and looking at other vehicles or signals while driving (41.7%). A history of migraines was reported in 62.5% of the patients, and motion sickness was reported in 50% of the patients. Anxiety was reported in 34.3% of patients, and 15.7% had depression. The video-nystagmography did not show any specific abnormalities. Patients responded to drugs used in prophylactic treatments for migraines such as Amitriptyline, Venlafaxine, Bisoprolol, and Magnesium, and to Pregabalin and Gabapentin. Based on these findings, a classification system and a diagnostic criterion for MVDS were proposed.

Assessment and Relationship of Work Ability and the Level of Physical Activity Among Professional Bus Drivers

Numerous studies have shown that city bus drivers suffer from three key categories of health disorders: cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and musculoskeletal system issues, affecting the individual’s ability to work. The aim of this research was to assess the working ability of bus drivers and to determine the connection between the level of physical activity and the work ability in professional bus drivers. The study protocol included an assessment of participants’ work ability using the Work Ability Index (WAI) Questionnaire on a sample of 115 bus drivers. A statistical analysis was performed using the SAS System software package (SAS Institute Inc., North Carolina, USA). The questionnaire for determining the work ability index indicated good or excellent work ability in 78 (67.8%) of bus drivers. Moderate work ability that needed to be improved was recorded in 27 (23.5%) of drivers, and poor work ability that needed to be restored in 10 (8.7%). The results of the regression analysis show that increasing the average number of steps per day by a 1,000 increases the WAI score by 0.8. The obtained data should serve as an important argument for the design of future public health and kinesiology interventions to improve the work ability in professional bus drivers.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Ambulance Collisions, a Systematic Literature Review

The risk of dying or being injured as a result of traffic collisions is higher for medical emergency responders than for other professional drivers. This systematic review synthesizes the literature regarding the collisions of ambulances, focusing on the prevalence and characteristics surrounding such events. Keywords including paramedics and traffic collisions were searched in papers available in PubMed from January 1990 to July 2021. Two independent reviewers screened the abstracts of 2494 papers and ended up with 93 full-text articles to assess for eligibility, of which 26 papers were finally kept for this review. There was a total of 18 studies conducted in the United States, followed by 3 in Turkey, 2 in Taiwan, 1 in both the United States and Canada, 1 in France, and 1 in Poland. There is a high record of injury and fatal collisions for ambulances compared to other commercial or similarly sized vehicles. Drivers less than 35 years old with low experience and a history of citations are more likely to be involved in such collisions. Ambulance collisions are more likely to happen in urban areas and intersections are the riskiest locations. Most collisions occur when the ambulance is responding to an emergency call (i.e., going to the patient or the hospital) and using lights and sirens. Tailored preventive policies and programs for improving paramedics’ safety should be sought to reduce the burden of these occupational collisions.

Effects of lane-change scenarios on lane-change decision and eye movement

Improper lane-change manoeuvre can cause traffic safety issues and even lead to serious traffic collisions. Quantifying the decision behaviour and eye movements can provide a deeper understanding of lane-change manoeuvre in vehicle interaction environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lane-change scenarios defined by gaps on lane-change decision and eye movements. Twenty-eight participants were recruited to complete a naturalistic driving experiment. Eye movements and lane-change decision duration (LDD) were recorded and analysed. Results suggested that the scanning frequency (SF) and saccade duration (SD) were the sensitive parameters to respond to lane-change scenarios. LDD was significantly affected by the scenario, SF, and SD. The increase in LDD was related to the high difficulty gap and high frequency scanning of multiple regions. These findings evaluated the driver’s decision performance in response to different lane-change environments and provided valuable information for measuring the driver’s scenario perception ability. Practitioner summary: A naturalistic driving experiment was conducted to evaluate the interaction of lane-change decision, eye movement, and lane changing gap in a lane-change task. The results reveal the sensitive eye movement parameters to lane-change scenario, which provide guidelines for driver’s perception ability test and professional driver assessment.

CHARACTERIZATION AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RELEVANCE OF BIOLOGICAL RISKS TO AEROSOL IN AIR CONDITIONING FILTERS IN LIGHT AND HEAVY VEHICLES: AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Introduction: Fungal spores are numerous fragments dispersed through the air and, due to their tiny dimensions, are classied as bio aerosols, which consist of particles and derivatives of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, organic compounds, metabolites, toxins and other fragments. The stu Objectives: dy analyzed fungal contamination in air conditioning lters collected from 100 motor vehicles (light and heavy). Methods: Over a period of 8 months, 100 air conditioning lters from light vehicles (cars) and heavy vehicles (trucks) from the cities of Cuiabá and Várzea Grande, central region of Brazil, were collected and evaluated. The survey found 76 fungal genera in Results: all samples collected (100%), including toxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Alternaria and Cryptococcus, indicating that indoor air quality can compromise the health of a portion of the population light vehicle user as well as professional truck drivers. The most prevalent aerial fungal spores recorded were of the genus Aspergillus (860; 37.79%) and Penicillium (240; 10.54%), followed by Cladosporium (119; 5.23%) and also Alternaria, Curvularia, Fusarium etc. and Candida yeasts (103;4.53%), Rhodotorula (66;2.90%) and Cryptococcus (44; 1.93%). Among the Aspergillus genus, the results showed the presence of the species A. avus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, A. ochraceus, A. terreus and A. clavatus, which cause severe allergic respiratory and pulmonary diseases. The maximum amount of spores was from species of the phylum Ascomycota (64; 84.21%), followed by Basidiomycota (6; 7.89%), Zygomicota and Mucoromycota (2; 2.63%) and nally Oomycota and Deuteromycota (1; 1.32%) respectively. The air in articially cooled enviro Conclusion: nments should provide comfort to its occupants, but it can pose a risk to human health if pathogenic and toxigenic fungi contaminate the air ltration systems in automobiles.

Dashcam video footage-based analysis of microsleep-related behaviors in truck collisions attributed to falling asleep at the wheel

ObjectiveWith the rapid spread of dashcams, many car accidents have been recorded; however, behavioral approaches using these dashcam video footage have not been sufficiently examined. We employed dashcam video footage to evaluate microsleep-related behaviors immediately prior to real-world truck collisions in professional drivers to explore a new solution to reduce collisions attributed to falling asleep at the wheel. MethodsIn total, 3,120 s of video footage (60 s/case × 52 cases) from real-world truck collisions of 52 professional drivers obtained from interior and exterior dashcams were used and visually analyzed in a second-by-second manner to simultaneously evaluate any eye changes and microsleep-related behaviors (the driver’s anti-sleepiness behavior, behavioral signs of microsleep, and abnormal vehicle behavior) during driving. ResultsAssessment of the frequency of occurrence of each item of microsleep-related behavior in the 52 collisions revealed that the item “touching” in terms of anti-sleepiness behavior, “absence of body movement” in terms of behavioral signs of microsleep, and “inappropriate line crossing” in terms of abnormal vehicle behavior were observed at the highest rate in all drivers (46.2%, 75.0%, and 78.8%, respectively). Decreases in anti-sleepiness behavior coincided with increases in behavioral signs of microsleep and abnormal vehicle behavior, with collisions occurring within approximately 40 s of these changes. Collisions were more common among young people and in the early morning and evening. ConclusionOur dashcam video footage-based analysis in truck collisions attributed to falling asleep at the wheel revealed the process of changes in microsleep-related driver and vehicle behaviors, classified as anti-sleepiness behavior, behavioral signs of microsleep, and abnormal vehicle behavior. Based on these findings, to prevent collisions caused by falling asleep at the wheel, it is crucial to monitor not only the driver's eyes, but also the driver's whole body and vehicle behavior simultaneously to reliably detect microsleep-related behaviors.

A cross sectional study on prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors among bus drivers of Metropolitan Transport Corporation Limited, Chennai

Background: The job of bus driving is not only risky due to probable accidents and incidents but also risky due to probable health risk factors associated with the nature of bus driving. Sedentary work was done by many professional drivers and they were found to be physically inactive during their leisure time which lead to an increase in risk for obesity and hypertension. Therefore, this study was done with the aim to detect the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among metropolitan transport corporation bus drivers. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among bus drivers of metropolitan transport corporation Limited, Chennai. The sample size obtained was 422. A multistage sampling method was used. A Validated semi-structured questionnaire containing questions on basic socio demographic particulars, lifestyle factors, past and family history and anthropometric and blood pressure measurement was done and was analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was found to be 49.5%. Smoking was found in 23.2% of the respondents, tobacco and betel nut chewing in 14.7% of the respondents and 45.5% were found to consume alcohol. It was found that as age increases the prevalence of hypertension also increases which was statistically significant (p=0.001). Conclusions: This rampant disease can be prevented and managed through lifestyle modifications and medication therapy. The risk factors may be avoided by maintaining a regular physical activity, focussing on dynamic exercise, having medical checkups.

Contribution to the analysis of driver behavioral deviations leading to road crashes at work

Most road crashes at work are caused by Driver Behavioral Drift (DBD). This DBD has become a recurring issue on congested road sections.In this context, this study proposes a method called (MASOCU-DBD) which allows to analyze this DBD problem in two steps: assessment of the dynamics of DBD occurrence using a model called BM-NSA and analysis of DCC using a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) weighted by the Analysis Hierarchical Process (AHP).The application of the MASOCU-DBD on a road section of an Algerian city's entry highlighted the problem of the DBD in terms of its occurrence and uselessness in the studied section.The merit of the proposed method is that it uses multi-criteria analysis tools (AHP and CBA) as well as a mathematical model (BM-NSA) to analyze professional drivers' behavioral deviations.

Aberrant driving behaviors as mediators in the relationship between driving anger patterns and crashes among taxi drivers: An investigation in a complex cultural context

Objective Taxis have become an integrated component of Qatar’s urban transportation network due to their convenience, comfort, and flexibility. Qatar has seen an uptick in the demand for professional taxi drivers. Most Qatari taxi drivers come from developing countries with poor awareness of road safety; therefore, they regularly engage in aberrant driving behavior, leading to traffic violations and crashes. For taxi rides to be safer, it is essential to determine the association between driving aberration and road traffic crashes (RTCs), with an emphasis on the underlying factors that trigger these behaviors. Methods To this end, we collected the data from taxi drivers relying on standard questionnaires, namely the Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), together with the real crash data of the same taxi drivers obtained from the police department. We relied on factor analysis to identify the main factors of these tools and then structural equation modeling to predict their causal relationship with RTCs. Results The results indicated that the component of DAS, namely “illegal driving”, triggered all dimensions of aberrant driving behaviors, whereas hostile gestures had a positive correlation with lapses. In addition, the factor “error” was identified as a significant direct predictor, while the factor “illegal driving” was identified as a significant indirect predictor for RTCs. Regarding demographic characteristics, professional driving experience was found to be negatively associated with RTCs. Conclusion Driving aberration mediated the impact of driving anger on RTCs. The findings from this study could help road safety practitioners and researchers better understand these relations. In addition, these results could also be very helpful for driving instructors to train taxi drivers in a way to cope with provoking situations.

Seroprevalence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 in patients with HIV positive from Ebonyi State, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo assess the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 in patients infected with HIV in Nigeria.DesignCross-sectional design from January to June 2019.SettingFederal Teaching Hospital, Ebonyi State,...

60 GHz MMW sensor for monitoring driver’s vital signs

Many fatal traffic accidents caused by professional drivers are attributed not only to fatigue and stress, but also heart and cardiovascular disease. Heartbeat interval (HBI) is one of the primary vital signs that indicates a sudden change in a person’s physical condition. In addition, blood pressure, particularly continuous blood pressure (BP), is highly correlated with cardiovascular disease. However, to our knowledge, there are no studies on monitoring a driver’s HBI and continuous BP simultaneously. In this paper, we present a 60 GHz millimeter-wave vital signs sensor to monitor the driver’s HBI and continuous BP in a non-contact manner. The driver’s HBI and continuous BP were measured while driving and each measured vital sign was evaluated using correlation and Bland-Altman analysis.

Research into the opinion of professional drivers on improving road safety by using the front brake light

The European Union has an ambition to achieve zero road deaths by 2050. It is an ambitious target, but not an unachievable one. The installation of a front brake light, which provides information to other road users that the vehicle is braking, can help to achieve this goal. Today, this information is available to road users who can see the rear of the vehicle. Because the brake lights are located at the rear of the vehicle. The information that the vehicle is braking is also important when looking at the front of the vehicle. Whether it is other drivers or other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The aim of this paper is to conduct a research among professional road transport drivers what their opinion is about the front brake light. From their opinion, we will conclude whether such light has the potential to improve road safety or not.

Constructing the behavioral sequence of the takeover process—TOR, behavior characteristics and phases division: A real vehicle experiment

Autonomous driving will still use human–machine co-driving to handle complex situations for a long term, which requires the driver to control the vehicle and avoid hazards by executing appropriate behavioral sequences after takeover prompts. Previous studies focused on the division of static behavioral indicators and major phases in the initial phase of takeover, while lacking the construction of behavioral sequences based on the dynamic changes of behavioral characteristics during the takeover process. This study divides the takeover process in a detailed manner and investigates the impact of audio types on the behavioral sequence at each phase. 20 professional drivers performed the NDRT in autonomous driving mode on real roads, and after receiving audio prompts, they took over the vehicle and performed hazard avoidance maneuvers. The results show that the behavioral characteristics could construct the behavioral sequence of different phases, with the dynamic characteristics of the takeover operation change. In addition, different types of audio prompts will affect the timing of the takeover operation and its driving performance. Choosing different audio prompts or combinations can help improve the effect of taking over the vehicle. This study helps to provide guidance on the design of human–machine interaction for behavior optimization at different phases, so that guiding the driver to take over the vehicle safely and effectively.

Role of Women in Commercial Driving – A Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) Approach

Women who work in fields where men predominately do so face particular difficulties and employ particular coping skills that have an impact on their motivation and retention in these fields. This study investigates women’s experiences working in male-dominated sectors to comprehend the challenges they encounter and uncover coping mechanisms that allow them to continue their career paths. A lot of women who first favour jobs with a male preponderance quickly transition to female- or gender-balanced career pathways. Plans to motivate women in sectors with a male preponderance can be made easier by understanding their experiences. This exploratory qualitative study was carried out by the researchers utilizing a constructivist grounded theory methodology. They interviewed 60 well-chosen professional drivers in-depth and unstructured. To examine the data, they employ a constructivist grounded theory methodology. The authors contend that discrimination and sexism are mostly caused by unfair practices that women must deal with. These behaviours include disregarding the special physical traits of women and the necessity of work-life balance. Female resilience includes using femininity, accepting masculinity, mentoring, and intrinsic motivators. This study adds to the corpus of information on better retaining and integrating women in environments where men predominate.

Driving anger dimensions and their relationship with aberrant driver behavior in Lebanon: Results from a national self-reported survey.

Driving anger may vary across countries due to culture. This might affect driver behavior, which, in turn, impacts the driving outcomes. This study aims to investigate the relationship between socio-demographic variables, driving anger, and the self-reported aberrant behavior among Lebanese drivers and to determine which anger dimension is linked to driving behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted among eligible Lebanese drivers from all Lebanese governorates. Data were collected using an anonymous Arabic self-reported questionnaire that included demographic information, driving-related variables, and two scales: the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Driver Anger Scale (DAS). Four hierarchical regressions were performed taking the DBQ subscales as the dependent variable and the DAS subscales as independent variables. Out of 1102 surveyed drivers, 68.4% were males, having a mean age of 34.6 ± 12.3 years and an average driving experience of 13.5 ± 10.8 years. DBQ, DAS, and their subscales showed good reliability. Older age and female gender were negatively associated with the tendency of committing aggressive violations. However, being a professional driver and increasing annual mileage were positively associated with a higher tendency to commit aggressive violations. In addition to these factors, a higher educational level was found associated with a lower risk of driver's involvement in traffic violations. However, increased driving experience was associated with a higher tendency to commit aggressive violations. Reported driving errors were also found positively associated with older age, increasing mileage, and being a professional driver. However, larger driving experience and higher education were found protectors from erroneous behavior. Hierarchical regression showed that anger prompted by hostile gesture, discourtesy, police presence, traffic obstruction, and slow driving were positively associated with aggressive violations. All the DAS subscales were found to be positively associated with ordinary violations. traffic obstruction was also found associated with a higher tendency of drivers to commit lapses, as well as anger, which originated from police presence and slow driving which were found also positively associated with errors. Driver anger dimensions were found positively associated with aberrant driver behavior. To overcome road anger, there is a need to train drivers on coping strategies to restrain aberrant driving behavior.

The Effectiveness of an Intelligent Speed Assistance System with Real-Time Speeding Interventions for Truck Drivers: A Belgian Simulator Study

Speeding is one of the leading risk factors in road safety. Not only is it one of the leading causes of accidents, but it also has an extensive effect on the impact and consequences of accidents. This is especially the case for trucks, where the enforced speed limit is often dependent on local legislation and context rather than speed limit traffic signs. This study is part of the greater i-DREAMS project and aims to explore the effectiveness of an intelligent speed assistance system for truck drivers on different road types. To achieve this, a simulator experiment was performed with 34 professional truck drivers in Belgium. Participants first made a baseline drive, followed by two more drives, where they received visual information about the enforced speed limit but also visual and auditory warnings when exceeding the speed limit. The drives included different road environments with different speed limits. The results reveal a significant reduction in relevant parameters (i.e., average speed, minimum speed, maximum speed, and percentage of distance above the speed limit) when drivers received information and warnings about speeding while driving on a rural 1 × 1 road with a speed limit of 70 km/h (60 km/h for trucks). Further research is needed to validate this effect on other road types and under more-challenging conditions.

Charging after Lockdown: The Aftermath of COVID-19 Policies on Electric Vehicle Charging Behaviour in The Netherlands

During the COVID-19—related lockdowns (2020–2022), mobility patterns and charging needs were substantially affected. Policies such as work from home, lockdowns, and curfews reduced traffic and commuting significantly. This global pandemic may have also substantially changed mobility patterns on the long term and therefore the need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This paper analyzes changes in electric charging in the Netherlands for different user groups during different phases of the COVID-19 lockdown to assess the effects on EV charging needs. Charging needs dropped significantly during this period, which also changed the distribution of the load on the electricity grid throughout the day. Curfews affected the start times of charging sessions during peak hours of grid consumption. Infrastructure dedicated to commuters was used less intensively, and the charging needs of professional taxi drivers were drastically reduced during lockdown periods. These trends were partially observed during a post–lockdown measuring period of roughly 8 months, indicating a longer shift in mobility and charging patterns.

Does Mindfulness Mediate the Relation between Impulsiveness and Job Stressfulness Perception of Professional Drivers?

(1) Background: Professional driving is a stressful occupation that requires high levels of attention and decision-making, often leading to job stress. Impulsiveness, a personality trait characterized by a tendency to act without forethought, has been associated with negative outcomes such as anxiety, stress, and risky behaviors. Mindfulness has been proposed as a potential strategy for reducing job stress in various occupational settings. However, little is known about the relationship between these variables. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between impulsiveness and job stressfulness perception among professional drivers. (2) Methods: A total of 258 professional drivers from Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia, have completed self-report questionnaires: Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy; Subjective Assessment of Work; Five Facet Mindfulness. (3) Results: Results indicated a positive correlation between impulsiveness and job stressfulness perception, and a negative correlation with mindfulness. Mindfulness partially mediated the relationship between impulsiveness and job stressfulness perception. Additionally, variations were identified in the perceived work environment factors and mindfulness among drivers based on their country of origin. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest that mindfulness could be a useful approach for reducing job stressfulness perception among professional drivers with high levels of impulsiveness. Given the implications of job stressfulness for professional drivers' health and safety, developing mindfulness interventions tailored to their specific needs could be a promising direction for future research and intervention development.

Prevalence of Risk Indicators of Heart Diseases Among Professional Male Bus Drivers

The study aims to determine the prevalence of heart disease risk indicators among male professional bus drivers. A quarter of all mortality is attributable toheart disease. The risk of heart disease is now more common among male professional bus drivers due to irregular diet, lifestyle and shift of work. This observational study included 100 male professional drivers selected by convenience sampling from an MTC bus stand (Chennai bus depot) and ACS medical college and hospital drivers. Face-to-face questioning strategies were administered to obtain information about their lifestyle conditions and shift of work from all participants. The Anthropometric measurement such as body mass index, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose level is measured by a handheld BMI machine, sphygmomanometer and glucometer. The risk score for the indicators of cardiovascular diseases (CVD)is estimated using a gender-specific Framingham risk score. The data analysis shows nearly 55% of subjects are in the low-risk category, 35% of issues are in the intermediate-risk category, and 10% are subjects in the high-risk category of developing a cardiovascular disease based on the estimation of 10 years of cardiovascular disease risk. The study concluded that bus drivers are at intermediate and high risk of developing CVD.Cardiovascular diseases have now become the leading cause of mortality in India. The risk of heart disease is more common among male professional bus drivers. The drivers are exposed to several possible risk indicators of cardiovascular diseases. Low physical activity levels were associated with higher CVD among male professional bus drivers.

Data Analytics to Support a Smart Fleet Management Strategy

The correct application of efficient and safe driving techniques plays an important role for professional drivers. Monitoring and analyzing driving data can promote changes in the sector in terms of the better use of vehicles, reduction in energy consumption, and improved on-road safety. However, the results in driving performance can vary considerably among different fleets that have received the same training in efficient and safe driving. The aim of this article is to perform an in-depth analysis of the driving performance of professional drivers during their working day, taking into account the influence of fleet management decisions. For this, we have selected four urban public transport companies with clear differences in terms of the employees scheduled and rostered drivers to bus lines. The driving behavior of 745 drivers has been evaluated over a period of 10 months, considering performance in terms of efficient and safe driving through the use of driving patterns. A total of 6,517,983.995 km of real-time driving data retrieved from vehicles every 1.5 s has been analyzed. The results show significant differences in the evolution and acquisition of new driving habits. In addition, significant observations from this article provide valuable information for fleet managers and allow them take advantage of data provided by the adoption of intelligent transportation systems.