Preventing Truck Accidents with Technology: Detecting Sleepy Drivers on the Road

Preventing Truck Accidents

According to statistics released by the National Safety Council (NSC), every year sleepy drivers account for more than 100,000 truck accidents. One of the most common reasons for such truck accidents is driver fatigue and drowsiness. 

Fatigue needs special attention in this regard as the driver’s attentiveness and Deficiencies in focus if he stays sleepy. The higher the risk of drowsiness and fatigue among drivers, the greater the chances of catastrophic consequences like Preventing Truck Accidents, which are largely fatal for other vehicles and their drivers on the road. If it is a freight truck, Damages at the next level would occur by the freight company and the product that was to be transport. 

In this post, we would inform you about driver drowsiness detection technology that is largely capable of preventing truck accidents. 

Benefits of Technology that Detects Sleepy Truck Drivers

There are several benefits that technology like a drowsiness detection alert system gives to truck drivers. Below is a list of them: 

• Reducing the Risk of Accidents 

• Early Warning Systems for Drivers and Fleet Managers: Health and safety remain the two priorities for truck drivers as it not only involves the safety of truck drivers but also of the people on the road. With better sleep functions, cognitive performance gets better. It would not impair the driving skills and the drivers would be attentive on the road, thus, facilitating them to detect warning signs earlier on the road. 
• Preventative Measures, such as Automatic Braking: Drowsiness detection technology sends signals to the automatic braking system installed within the truck that If the vehicle perceives dangers on the road, it would pull the brakes. Also, some wearables sense explicit body signals and would indicate the driver to pull over to take some rest. 

• Improving Driver Health and Well-being 

• Encouraging Healthier Habits, such as Exercise and Sleep: As mentioned earlier, Whenever fatigue signs appear, pull over by the driver drowsiness detection system helps the driver to complete his sleep hours and stay healthy.  
• Identifying Health Conditions, such as Sleep Apnea: Research revealed that a full-length truck is almost the size of a football field before it applies brakes on the road. When a sleepy driver is behind the steering wheel and becomes drowsy or has a condition called sleep apnea syndrome, he would be at dangerously high risk of a road accident. A drowsiness detection alert system would help the driver to notice such conditions and support in driver’s well-being. 

How Technology Detects Sleepy Truck Drivers 

Let us explain what parameters this technology uses to detect whether the truck driver is sleepy or not and whether alert signals should be sent to him to either pull over or apply automatic brakes. 

• Monitoring Physical Signs of Fatigue 

• Eye Movement and Blinking Patterns: Sleepy driver detection technology notes eye blink parameters, including eyelid movements and reflectance oculography. Facial expressions related to drowsiness and facial movements are also a part of this system’s strong detection. 
• Head Position and Posture: Driver drowsiness detection is also done via monitoring of his head position and posture. By this we mean when the driver’s head is tilted to a certain angle and exceeds the pre-defined threshold within the system, the fatigue parameter would be high and alerts would be sent instantly.  
• Changes in Heart Rate and Respiration: A certain heart rate and amount of respiration of the driver would measure the drowsiness intensity. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a better determinant of sleepiness rather than brain activities, hence the impact of HRV on respiration is effectively used for detecting a drowsy driver. 
• Analyzing Behavioral Patterns 

• Changes in Steering and Lane Departure: The patterns of the driver while lazy steering and not appearing attentive during lane departures are some of the indicators of his drowsy behavior.  
• Frequency and Duration of Rest Breaks: The more the driver is seen taking breaks on the road, the more he is assumed to be sleepy.
• Comparison to Historical Driving Data: Driving more than six hours makes the driver sleepier. Hence, the previous driving data of the driver and the number of hours he drove would be useful pieces of information for presuming the driver’s drowsiness. 

Types of Technology for Detecting Sleepy Truck Drivers 

You can learn about certain types of technology to prevent accidents by looking at these categories how they can help enhance driver safety as well as those on the road. 

• In-cab Monitoring Systems: It is a high-level technology for preventing truck accidents since it aids in autonomous driving. When the driver is extremely sleepy, the in-cabin monitoring cameras and a specially designed onboard device equipped with internal artificial intelligence (AI) keep the truck moving on the road with safety. 
• Cameras and Sensors: The anti-sleep drowsy driver alert system that would prompt the driver when he is about to sleep is the best type of drowsiness detection technology. It identifies the eye movements of the driver for enhanced fatigue detection and driver distraction on the road. 
• Facial Recognition Technology: It is another AI-facial recognition system that scans particular face signs such as mobile phone use, smoking, and symptoms of fatigue on the driver’s face. The loud audio tones would force the driver to either concentrate on the road or pull over to take some rest. 
• Wearable Technology: Wearable technology such as vests, caps, headwear, and eyewear help in spotting precise body signals that assist in knowing about the driver’s fatigue. Glasses that detect eye blinking with the help of an LED light monitor is a real-time measurement of the possibility of drowsiness. The same category inculcates one more valuable drowsy driver alert system in the form of a headset that keeps a check on the driver’s looking towards the windshield, up and down the mirrors to know if he is vigilant enough on the road. The driver’s head bobbing and jerking would let the system know if the driver is being sleepy and would decrease in frequency. 

Conclusion

Driver drowsiness detection technology has been critical in assuring the safety of drivers, passengers, and other road users. The introduction of such modern technologies considerably decreases the number of accidents caused by fatigued truck drivers. These technologies employ sophisticated sensors, cameras, and algorithms to identify indications of sleepiness and prompt drivers to take appropriate action, such as taking a break or pulling over to rest. This not only avoids accidents but also saves lives and lowers the cost of damages. As a result, investing in these technologies is critical to ensuring the safety of our roads, and it is critical to continue R&D in this field to increase the efficacy of such systems.