Sleeper berth use as a risk factor for tractor-trailer driver fatality

Hertz, Robin P.

Affiliations

¹Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Washington, D.C.

Abstract

Federal Regulation Allows Truck Drivers to use sleeper berths to accumulate eight hours of off-duty rest in two separate periods. Because sleep disruption may cause fatigue and deterioration of performance, a study was conducted to evaluate the association between sleeper berth use in two periods and tractor-trailer driver fatality. Using Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety Reports, crashes that resulted in tractor-trailer driver fatality were compared with property damage crashes. After adjusting for confounding variables by logistic regression, tractor-trailer driver fatality was found to be significantly associated with sleeper berth use in two shifts (odds ratio = 3.05). Statistically significant but weaker associations were found between driver fatality and rural district, night driving, gross vehicle weight of 72,000 pounds or more, single vehicle collision, intercity trip, and employment on an occasional basis.

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