ABSTRACT
This study consists of a user validation of current driver fatigue monitoring systems in Germany. The scientific community has long reached consensus that fatigue is the largest identifiable and preventable cause of accidents in transport operations, accounting for 15 to 20 per cent of all accidents (Åkerstedt, 2000). To avoid fatigue-related accidents appropriate interventions are required. One possible countermeasure is the use of hardware technologies to monitor fatigue in real time while driving. An effective on-board fatigue monitoring system needs: 1) nonintrusive, reliable sensors to measure relevant parameters for fatigue detection; 2) a sensitive and specific real-time algorithm to decide whether a warning is needed; and 3) an adequate method to feedback to the driver. The feedback might determine the decision of whether to take a break or not, so compliance with the system warning is of crucial importance.
