driver fatigue
Drowsy behind wheel
Driver fatigue is the dangerous state of drowsiness or exhaustion that impairs a person's ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Reaction times slow, attention drifts, and microsleeps can occur—brief lapses where the driver loses awareness entirely.
Long-haul truckers and shift workers face particular risk.
Driver fatigue causes thousands of accidents annually.
- reaction timeSpeed of response
- split secondInfinitesimal unit of time
- sleep deprivationInadequate rest condition
- microsleepInvoluntary seconds-long doze
- falling asleepBeginning to slumber
white line fever · sleep inertia · heavy eyelids · blink · wheel · rest breaks · drowsy · eyelids · circadian rhythm · night shift · road safety · shift work · cognitive load · yawn · blur · swerve · steering wheel · nap
- Endurance RacingLe Mans, endurance race, 24 hour race, Sebring, Daytona
- operator psychologymental workload, cognitive load, human error, decision making, vigilance
- workplace hazardsstress, burnout, fire hazard, overwork, back pain
- vehicle mishapscollision, crash, rollover, jackknife, skid
driver fatiguealertness
Active mental awareness
wakefulness · mental sharpness · vigilance · attentiveness · full attention
driver fatiguemechanical failure
Equipment stops working properly
equipment failure · brake failure · tire blowout · steering failure · road conditions
drive, driven, driver, driving, drove, fatigue, drives, drivers, overdrive