Research Projects

Drowsiness is responsible for 38% of all truck driver road accidents in India. Partial sleep deprivation (PsD) has a significant impact on the behavior and psychological traits of long haul truck drivers. Long hours of continuous night driving can cause severe fatigue and drowsiness, affecting their physical and mental wellness. This exhausts their cognitive and attentional resources, potentially jeopardizing traffic safety. The proposed research aims to study the effects of PsD on truck drivers' psychological traits and physical state. An extensive questionnaire survey will be conducted to explore factors contributing to driver fatigue among Indian truck drivers. A smartwatch will be used to continuously gather physiological data to evaluate the impact of fatigue and drowsiness on their physical state. Naturalistic driving data will be collected before and after work using video VBox and smartphone sensors. Physiological measures and video of human subjects will be collected for a nap session during mid-afternoon hours. segments of wake, drowsiness, and sleep will be identified using post session Modified Karolinska sleepiness scale ratings, sleep indication from video data, and heart rate variations. The physical and mental state of truck drivers during both driving sessions will be analyzed. Accident data will be collected and accident hotspots will be identified. Truck drivers will be asked to rate their alertness using Modified Kss before, during, and after each driving session. Algorithms for developing driver vigilance alarm systems will be developed, and acceptance of the proposed measures and warning system among truck drivers and logistics companies will be analyzed.