Browsing by Author "Camden, Matthew C."

Now showing 1 - 20 of 25
  • Thumbnail Image
    AI Dash Cam Performance Benchmark Testing
    Camden, Matthew C.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Ridgeway, Christie; Parks, R. Lucas; Hanowski, Richard J. (2023-06-30)
    The objective of this project was to benchmark the performance of three driver monitoring systems (DMSs): Motive DC-54, Samsara HW-CM32, and Lytx DriveCam SF400. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase One was an assessment to benchmark the performance of the three DMSs. This phase involved testing the ability of each system to successfully capture and alert unsafe driver behavior. Phase Two of the study, the user performance benchmarking phase, acquired feedback from heavy vehicle drivers regarding various attributes of each system’s quality. One hundred eighty-eight (188) CMV drivers with an active commercial driver’s license (CDL-A) participated in the survey.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Alcohol and Drug Testing: Informational Guidelines for Occupational Drivers
    Glenn, T. Laurel; Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-09-04)
    The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 requires all Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies to conduct drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive transportation employees, which includes commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. This report surveys the research literature to outline the effects that alcohol and drugs have on CMV driving safety and provides an overview of the most common testing methods. Additionally, the report provides guidelines on maintaining a drug-free workplace in the CMV industry, covering best practices for drug and alcohol policy, employee training, employee assistance programs, drug and alcohol testing, and drug and alcohol program evaluation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Assessing Factors Leading to Commercial Driver Seat Belt Non-Compliance
    Camden, Matthew C.; Soccolich, Susan A.; McSherry, Thomas; Ridgeway, Christie; Stapleton, Steven (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2024-10-24)
    The current research study utilized a literature review and analysis of two data sources to determine situational factors associated with reduced seat belt usage among CMV drivers. The literature review identified characteristics of seat belt use, reasons drivers may or may not use seat belts, methods to improve seat belt use rates, and important gaps in the literature. The data analysis used data collected in two separate studies to assess seat belt use rates and explore the relationship between seat belt use and environmental, roadway, vehicle, and driver factors. The first study collected observational data in 2015 from multiple sites in Michigan with high rates of truck/bus-involved crashes. The second study collected naturalistic driving data during the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Advanced System Testing Utilizing a Data Acquisition System on Highways (FAST DASH) second Safety Technology Evaluation Project (commonly referred to as FAST DASH 2). The naturalistic driving data set included safety-critical events (SCEs), which were reduced for driver behaviors and environmental and roadway information. In the current study, driver seat belt use was observed in 93% of the FAST DASH 2 naturalistic driving SCEs and in 81% of SCEs in the observational data set. The analysis of observational and FAST DASH 2 naturalistic driving study data identified several factors where seat belt use patterns changed significantly across the factor levels; however, the analyses for each data set did not show consistency in statistical significance. The observational data showed seat belt use to be associated with day of week, time of day, road type, truck type, and fleet type. Little correlation was found between seat belt use and other driver behaviors. The analysis of observational study data did find seat belt use to be significantly higher in observations where drivers were using a hands-free cell phone with earpiece compared to drivers not using a cell phone or talking on a handheld cell phone. The naturalistic driving data showed that drivers operating on divided highways had higher seat belt use compared to those driving on non-physically divided roadways.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Challenges in Conducting Empirical Epidemiological Research with Truck and Bus Drivers in Diverse Settings in North America
    Soccolich, Susan A.; Ridgeway, Christie; Mabry, J. Erin; Camden, Matthew C.; Miller, Andrew M.; Iridiastadi, Hardianto; Hanowski, Richard J. (MDPI, 2022-09-30)
    Over 6.5 million commercial vehicle drivers were operating a large truck or bus in the United States in 2020. This career often has high stress and long working hours, with few opportunities for physical activity. Previous research has linked these factors to adverse health conditions. Adverse health conditions affect not only the professional drivers’ wellbeing but potentially also commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators’ safe driving ability and public safety for others sharing the roadway. The prevalence of health conditions with high impact on roadway safety in North American CMV drivers necessitates empirical epidemiological research to better understand and improve driver health. The paper presents four challenges in conducting epidemiological research with truck and bus drivers in North America and potential resolutions identified in past and current research. These challenges include (1) the correlation between driving performance, driving experience, and driver demographic factors; (2) the impact of medical treatment status on the relationship between health conditions and driver risk; (3) capturing accurate data in self-report data collection methods; and (4) reaching the CMV population for research. These challenges are common and influential in epidemiological research of this population, as drivers face severe health issues, health-related federal regulations, and the impact of vehicle operation on the safety of themselves and others using the roadways.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Risk by Time of Day
    Camden, Matthew C.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Rossi-Alvarez, Alexandria; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-11-16)
    Despite a plethora of research examining commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash risk as a function of time of day, there are few studies that have included objective measures of exposure. The purpose of this study was to use carrier-owned crash and electronic logging device (ELD) data to assess CMV crash rates and, as a function of time of day, using the amount of driving time in each hour as a measure of exposure. This study used the recently completed the Hour-of-Service (HOS) Rules Impact Analysis (under agency review), which contained crash and driver duty status data from 11 carriers with 36,000 crashes and ELD data from over 134,000 drivers over 21,639,182 log-days. The dataset included carrier descriptive information, detailed crash variables, driver log variables, and driver information. Three analyses were performed: crash rate by hour of day, crash rate by daytime vs. nighttime period, and crash rate by morning rush hour, evening rush hour, and non-rush hour periods. Results showed that CMV crash rates per 1 million driving hours were highest at nighttime in the 9:00 p.m. hour, 11:00 p.m. hour, and between 2:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. This study also provided some explanation for the inconsistencies in previous results regarding the effect of time of day on CMV crash risk related to operational differences among carriers.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Developing a Web-Based Return-on-Investment Calculator for Truck Safety Technologies
    Camden, Matthew C.; Medina-Flintsch, Alejandra; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Feng, Xueting; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-10-08)
    Although large truck advanced safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and video-based onboard monitoring are becoming more prevalent, adoption rates and use are lagging due to concerns about return on investment (ROI). To address this, researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) developed an Excel-based ROI calculator and accompanying user manual. This report describes an extension of that original project: a web-based version of that calculator available at https://www.vtti.vt.edu/roicalculator/. The report describes the rationale behind the calculator and an provides an overview of the resources available on the website.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Effective Strategies to Improve Safety: Case Studies of Commercial Motor Carrier Safety Advancement
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2019-04-30)
    Although previous research has documented safety improvement strategies, many carriers may not have real-world data and/or information on the strategies that other carriers have successfully used to improve safety. This study identified strategies that CMV fleets have successfully used to improve their safety outcomes. The research team worked with CMV insurers and state trucking associations to identify nine CMV carriers that successfully improved safety outcomes. Safety improvements involved Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration-reportable crashes, less severe crashes, insurance claims, and/or Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) scores. After verifying these improved safety outcomes, the research team recruited the nine carriers to participate in an hour-long interview to document the strategies they used. Successful strategies included comprehensive driver training, collision mitigation technologies, onboard safety monitoring, strict hiring criteria, and developing a strong safety culture.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Effective Use of Commercially Available Onboard Safety Monitoring Technologies: Guidance for Commercial Motor Vehicle Carriers
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2015-03-03)
    Studies show that most commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes involve risky driving behaviors or errors on the part of the driver and thus are preventable. One method to reduce risky driving behaviors is through the use of onboard safety monitoring (OSM) technologies. OSM devices incorporate in-vehicle recording technology that can continuously measure and record the driver’s performance. However, the implementation of OSM systems involves more than installing the technology in vehicles. It requires detailed planning and involvement from all levels within a fleet. Furthermore, criticism and resistance can be expected when implementing an OSM device. The purpose of this project is to provide a manual for use by fleet management personnel prior to implementing an OSM technology (or for carriers that have implemented an OSM device but who are having problems achieving results). This manual is a practical, easy-to-understand reference guide for implementing an OSM program. It includes an overview of safety culture, a step-by-step guide for implementing a behavior-based safety (BBS) program in conjunction with an OSM device, and provides a list of commercially available OSM systems.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Estimating the Prevalence of Synthetic Cannabinoid Use Among Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers: Developing a Pilot Test to Collect Data on Substance Use
    Soccolich, Susan A.; Camden, Matthew C.; Glenn, T. Laurel; Link-Owens, Christine; Hall, Anne; Hodge, Julie; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2022-08-19)
    The extent to which commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are using synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) and the magnitude of SC-impaired driving remains unclear. This study was the first of its kind to specifically pilot test methods to collect SC use data in the CMV driver population. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop an effective method for estimating the prevalence of synthetic substances/designer drugs in CMV drivers and (2) establish preliminary prevalence data on alcohol, synthetics, illicit drugs, prescription medications, and over-the-counter drugs among CMV drivers. Data were collected from an initial focus group followed by anonymous questionnaire and drug test. Eligible participants in both study portions needed to have a valid Class A commercial driver’s license, be currently employed as a CMV driver, and read and speak English comfortably. The drug history questionnaire included data from 206 drivers. The most reported substance was tobacco, with 62 drivers reporting use in the past year (32.80%). The following substances were not reported as used within the past year by any of the participating drivers: benzodiazepines, barbiturates, heroin, ketamine, LSD, PCP, Rohypnol, and SCs. Urine samples were tested for 84 substances. The urine test data included 202 drivers. Of these samples, 35 included at least one positive result (17.33%), 165 had no positive results (81.68%), and two tests had been diluted (0.99%). There were 18 substances found within the urine samples. The total number of positive results for all drivers and substances was 46, as drivers may have had multiple substances with a positive result. Alcohol was detected in 3.96% of driver samples. THC was also found in 3.96% of driver samples. Citalopram, an SSRI, was detected in nearly 3% of driver samples. Three positive results in the urine test showed the presence of opiates oxycodone, hydrocodone, or hydromorphone above the relevant cutoff levels. No driver samples were found to have detectable levels of SCs. This may be because detecting SC use through urine tests can be difficult as SC compositions and ingredients evolve frequently. Overall, the results showed that anonymous data collection is possible and rates of positive drug use are higher than previously identified through standard driver drug testing. Although the results from the pilot test are promising, it is important to consider that driver participation was voluntary. Thus, it is possible that the sample was biased towards drivers who did not use any medications, illegal substances, or SCs.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating the Potential Safety Benefits of Electronic Hours-of-service Recorders Final Report
    Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Camden, Matthew C.; Guo, Feng; Dunn, Naomi J.; Hanowski, Richard J. (United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology, 2014-04)
    The purpose of the current study was to assess the benefits of installed electronic hours-of-service recorders (EHSRs) on safety and hours-of-service (HOS) violations related to Class 7 and 8 trucks as they operated during normal revenue service. Data were obtained through a third-party vendor that compiled previously-generated compliance data regarding participating motor carriers. Although the final data sets included data from 11 carriers representing small, medium, and large carriers (including a total of 82,943 crashes, 970 HOS violations, and 224,034 truck-years that drove a total of 15.6 billion miles), the data set in the current study was skewed toward larger, for-hire carriers and may not represent the overall U.S. trucking population. After controlling for calendar year, carriers in the data set, onboard safety system (OBSS) status, and long-haul/regional indicator, EHSR-equipped trucks had a significantly lower total crash rate (11.7 percent reduction) and a significantly lower preventable crash rate (5.1 percent reduction) than trucks not equipped with an EHSR. Small sample sizes limited the power to detect a significant difference between the EHSR cohort and the non-EHSR cohort for U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)-recordable and fatigue-related crashes. This result is primarily attributed to the lack of sufficient data (in terms of the number of these types of crashes) to be able to detect safety benefits with statistical significance at the observed level. After controlling for year, carrier index, OBSS status, and long-haul/regional indicator, EHSR-equipped trucks had a 53 percent lower driving-related HOS violation rate and a 49 percent lower non-driving-related HOS violation rate than trucks not equipped with EHSRs. The results show a clear safety benefit, in terms of crash and HOS violation reductions, for trucks equipped with EHSRs.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Examining the Relationship Between CMV Driver Retention and Safety
    Camden, Matthew C.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Walker, Martin; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-08-13)
    Many segments in the trucking industry experience extremely high rates of driver turnover. Although some research has shown a link between high driver turnover and increased crash risk, it is not known if voluntary turnover affects crash risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between voluntary and involuntary driver turnover with involvement in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)-reportable crashes and moving violations. This study used data collected in the recently completed Commercial Driver Safety Risk Factors study, which examined individual driver risk factors using a sample of 21,000 drivers from a single, large, for-hire carrier. Poisson regression models were used to measure the relationship between safety outcome rate and the employment status of the drivers. Overall, drivers who had continuous employment were significantly less likely to be involved in a future FMCSA-reportable crash or receive a violation compared to drivers that left the carrier at any time. Furthermore, drivers that left the carrier without a recent crash were significantly less likely to be involved in an FMCSA-reportable injury crash compared to drivers that left the carrier following a recent crash. These results support the need for carriers to adopt programs and policies designed to encourage safe drivers to remain at the same carrier and thus help to realize lower crash rates.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Examining the Relationship between Drug Use and Involvement in a Safety-Critical Event
    Camden, Matthew C.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (2014-08-25)
  • Thumbnail Image
    Fleet-based Driver Monitoring Systems: Accelerating Commercial Motor Vehicle and Occupational Driver Acceptance of Driver-facing Cameras
    Camden, Matthew C.; Glenn, T. Laurel; Manke, Aditi; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2022-10-14)
    Driver monitoring systems (DMSs) are an in-vehicle technology with promise to improve transportation safety for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and occupational light vehicle drivers. DMSs include various sensors and cameras placed inside and outside a vehicle to record the surrounding environment and, in some cases, what the driver is doing behind the wheel. Many newer DMSs incorporate machine vision and artificial intelligence to detect environmental and behavioral factors in real-time, which may allow drivers to receive in-cab alerts associated with inattention and other driver errors found to be significant contributors to crashes. However, previous research has found that drivers are resistant to the use of driver-facing cameras. The purpose of this project was to discuss driver-facing cameras with CMV and occupational light vehicle drivers to identify their concerns and recommendations. Researchers conducted four focus groups with up to nine drivers per focus group. A total of 24 drivers participated across the four focus groups. The focus groups concentrated on three key concerns related to driver-facing cameras: driver privacy, micromanagement, and a lack of perceived safety improvements associated with driver-facing cameras. Although drivers often expressed resistance to driver-facing cameras, they did provide 12 recommendations that they believed would significantly reduce resistance: involve drivers early in the process of DMS implementation; establish a driver advisory group; use DMS data for performance recognition; use DMS data for safety competitions; be honest about the capabilities and functionality of driver-facing cameras; follow the data use policy; use a third party to review DMS data; ensure drivers understand what behaviors flag an event; ensure drivers know when an event was detected; give drivers leeway to correct behavior before management is notified; use data to show how DMSs improve safety; and limit audio recording.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Identifying Equipment Factors Associated with Snowplow Operator Fatigue
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hanowski, Richard J. (MDPI, 2019-09-01)
    A recent body of research in fatigue management indicates that other factors, including in-cab and external equipment, contribute to operator fatigue. The goal of this project was to identify winter road maintenance equipment (in-cab and external) that may increase or mitigate snowplow operator fatigue. To accomplish this goal, questionnaires from 2011 snowplow operators were collected from 23 states in the U.S. Results confirmed previous research that fatigue is prevalent in winter road maintenance operations. Winter road maintenance equipment that produced excessive vibrations, noise, reduced visibility, and complex task demands were found to increase snowplow operators’ self-reported fatigue. Similarly, equipment that reduced vibrations and external noise, improved visibility, and limited secondary tasks were found to reduce snowplow operator’s self-reported fatigue. Based on the questionnaire responses and the feasibility of implementation, the following equipment may help to mitigate or prevent snowplow operator fatigue: dimmable interior lighting, LED bulbs for exterior lighting, dimmable warning lights, a CD player or satellite radio in each vehicle, heated windshield, snow deflectors, narrow-beam auxiliary lighting, and more ergonomically designed seats with vibration dampening/air-ride technology.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Investigating Attributes of Young, Inexperienced Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers
    Soccolich, Susan A.; Camden, Matthew C.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2024-04-19)
    For years, the trucking industry has been concerned with a potential lack of qualified, safe drivers to meet the future demand of the supply chain. The current minimum age at which a driver with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) can operate interstate is 21 years old (49 CFR 391.11). However, recent developments have expanded driver licensing age requirements through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s young driver apprenticeship programs and initiatives for young military veterans. The current study used the Commercial Driver Safety Risk Factors (CDSRF) study data to investigate the attributes of safe and unsafe young, inexperienced drivers (ages 21 to 25). The study compared young commercial drivers with and without carrier-recorded crashes, carrier-recorded preventable crashes, nationally recorded crashes, and moving violations for differences in demographic characteristics, driving-related factors, and health-related variables such as medical conditions and treatment status. Overall, most young drivers in the current study did not have a safety-related event. The proportion of drivers with a safety-related event included 14% with at least one carrier-recorded crash, 8% with at least one carrier-recorded preventable crash, 8% with at least one nationally recorded crash, and 10% with at least one moving violation. The study found young drivers who reported an out-of-service (OOS) placement in the past 3 years were at 3 times increased risk of nationally recorded crash involvement. Young drivers with a double/triple trailer endorsement had higher odds of both carrier-recorded and nationally recorded crash involvement compared to drivers without this endorsement. Approximately 80% of the sampled young drivers in the current study had a high school (HS) diploma or higher degree—a higher proportion than observed in an analysis of drivers of all ages in the CDSRF. Drivers showed lower odds of carrier-recorded crash involvement when their academic degree was another degree not listed compared to drivers with a HS diploma or bachelor’s degree. Finally, drivers with diagnosed and treated allergies showed higher risk of crash involvement compared to drivers without this diagnosis; however, it is important to note that very few drivers in the sample had allergies and were receiving treatment. Although the study found few statistically significant factors associated with increased safety event risk, the study did provide more insight into the typical young driver. As younger drivers have more opportunities to join the career field, it is important to better understand this driver age group, their potential risk factors, what factors need further research, and how this driver age group compares to other driver age groups in their demographics and risk.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Large Truck Safety at Highway Railroad Grade Crossings: Developing a Naturalistic Commercial Motor Vehicle Database of Railroad Grade Crossings
    Camden, Matthew C.; Manke, Aditi; Soccolich, Susan A.; Islam, Mouyid; Medina-Flintsch, Alejandra; Feierabend, Neal; Alemayehu, Desta (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2022-10-12)
    In 2021, there were 2,131 collisions, 237 fatalities, and 653 injuries at highway-railroad grade crossings (RGCs). However, these data do not include the full scope of incidents at RGCs, as they do not account for vehicle-to-vehicle collisions (e.g., a rear-end collision when a lead vehicle stopped prior to traversing the RGC). This is especially true for the classes of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) required to stop at all RGCs prior to crossing the tracks. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute houses valuable data that may be used to better understand CMV driver behavior (and the behavior of other drivers near the CMV) at RGCs. One naturalistic driving study, the On-Board Monitoring System Field Operational Test (OBMS FOT), includes classes of CMVs required to stop at all RGCs: tanker trucks carrying oil/gas and motorcoaches. The objective of this project was to combine the OBMS FOT datasets with the Roadway Information Database and the Federal Railroad Administration’s Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to identify all RGCs traversed by CMVs in the OBMS FOT (Hammond et al., 2021) datasets; identify which of those CMVs traversing an RGC were required to stop (i.e., a placarded CMV or motorcoach); identify the number of trips included in the OBMS that involved crossing an RGC; and create a database of RGCs that can be used in a future study to examine driver behavior of CMV and passenger vehicle drivers at RGCs. The final database included 1,733 RGCs traversed by a CMV that were in the OBMS FOT study. These vehicles made 52,358 trips across the 1,733 RGCs. This includes 17,990 trips of a tanker truck and 10,087 trips of a motorcoach traversing an RGC. This newly created database can be used in future research efforts to investigate CMV driver behavior at RGCs and to develop new countermeasures to reduce RGC crashes and their resulting injuries and fatalities.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Large Truck Technology Return-on-Investment Calculator: User Guide and Instruction Manual
    Camden, Matthew C.; Medina-Flintsch, Alejandra; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-04-21)
    In 2015, large trucks were involved in 415,000 crashes in the United States that resulted in approximately 116,000 injuries and 4,067 fatalities. One way to reduce these crashes and their resulting injuries and fatalities is through the adoption of advanced safety technologies (ASTs) such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and video-based onboard safety monitoring. Despite studies showing that ASTs effectively prevent or mitigate crashes, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) carriers often lack data on their associated return-on-investment (ROI). This project offers CMV carriers a research-based ROI calculator in the form of an Excel spreadsheet with an accompanying user guide.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Onboard Safety Systems Effectiveness Evaluation: Final Report
    Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Guo, Feng; Camden, Matthew C.; Flintsch, Alejandra Medina; Hanowski, Richard J.; Mabry, J. Erin (United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 2013-10)
    The purpose of this project was to conduct a retrospective effectiveness evaluation study on three commonly deployed onboard safety system (OBSS) types using previous data acquired directly from participating motor carriers. These OBSS technologies included lane departure warning (LDW), roll stability control (RSC), and forward collision warning (FCW) systems. The current study assessed the effectiveness of these three different OBSS types installed on Class 7 and 8 trucks as they operated in their normal revenue-producing routes. Although the crash data were acquired from 14 carriers representing small, medium, and large carriers hauling a variety of commodities (including a total of 88,112 carrier crash records-- USDOT-reportable accidents as well as minor incidents-- and 151,624 truck-years of operation that represented 13 billion miles traveled), the dataset in the current study was skewed toward larger, for-hire carriers and may not fully represent the overall U.S. trucking population. The benefit-cost analyses clearly showed the estimated benefits of LDW and RSC systems deployed at participating fleets outweighed the estimated costs. The analysis of the fleet crash data using the same methodology did not show a statistically significant difference in FCW-related crash occurrence rates between vehicles with or without an FCW system installed. Retrospectively, this result is primarily attributed to the lack of sufficient data (in terms of number of trucks with a deployed FCW system in the dataset) to be able to detect safety benefits with statistical significance at the observed level. Focus groups were also conducted with drivers and safety managers who had experience with LDW, RSC, or FCW systems. Drivers' and safety managers' opinions and perceptions of each OBSS type were generally very positive.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Pilot Testing a Naturalistic Driving Study to Investigate Winter Maintenance Operator Fatigue during Winter Emergencies
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (MDPI, 2017-08-14)
    Although numerous research studies have investigated the effects of fatigue in commercial motor vehicle drivers, research with winter maintenance (WM) drivers is sparse. This study pilot-tested the feasibility of evaluating WM operator fatigue during winter emergencies using naturalistic driving data. Four WM operators participated in the study and drove two instrumented snow plows for three consecutive winter months. The operators also wore an actigraph device used to measure sleep quantity. As this was a pilot study, the results were limited and only provided an estimation of what may be found in a large-scale naturalistic driving study with WM operators. Results showed the majority of safety-critical events (SCEs) occurred during the night, and approximately half of the SCEs occurred when participants were between 5 and 8 h into their shifts. Fatigue was identified as the critical reason in 33% of the SCEs, and drivers were found to average less sleep during winter emergencies versus winter non-emergencies. However, one participant accounted for all fatigue-related SCEs. Although data were limited to two instrumented trucks and four drivers, results support the approach of using naturalistic driving data to assess fatigue in WM operators. Future on-road research is needed to understand the relationship between fatigue and crash risk in WM operators.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Use and its Relationship to Involvement in Safety-Critical Events
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2014-10-07)
    This project served as a pilot study that illustrated the feasibility of using naturalistic driving data to assess the risk of a safety-critical event (SCE) associated with prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) drug use while driving. Results from this study showed that Rx and OTC drug use, in general, was not associated with an increased or decreased risk of involvement in an SCE. Additionally, drugs that had potential adverse effects related to driving were not found to increase the risk of involvement in an SCE. The use of caffeine was found to be associated with a decreased risk of SCE involvement in all seven half-lives (odds ratios ranging from 0.44 to 0.66). This project did show the feasibility of using a naturalistic approach to assess the risk associated with Rx and OTC use while driving.