Berlin (dpa) - Visual and audible alarms which warn motorists if
they are too fatigued to continue driving can actually encourage
drivers to stay at the wheel longer, says a doctor in the German
capital Berlin.
According to psychologist Katja Karrer-Gauss from the Technical
University (TU), such tiredness-alert systems can be deceptive.
"If such a system suggests a feeling of safety, people are
generally willing to take more risks," she said.
The doctor's remarks come after a study she carried out as part of
her dissertation, during which she interviewed dozens of motorists
who drive for a living.
Most of the respondents admitted that when a driver fatigue
warning system was installed they tended to rely on the technology
and were apt to keep driving on even when they felt tired.
Tests in a driver simulator also showed that anti-drowsiness
displays motivated drivers to resist sleepiness at the wheel rather
than rest during a journey.
"On average those test persons with a fatigue alarm on board were
prepared to drive 20 minutes longer before resting," said
Karrer-Gauss.
Many systems use an illuminated coffee cup symbol on the dash to
warn drivers of a lapse in concentration but Karrer-Gauss believes
this is inadequate.
"People driving as part of their work are often under such
pressure to meet deadlines that they consider it more important to
stay on the road than pay attention to a blinking coffee cup symbol,
between the dials," said the doctor.
"The vehicle ought to be made in a way that it forces the driver
to stop - although this is hardly feasible and the technology
required would rob the driver of control."
Figures show that fatigue at the wheel causes a large number of
road accidents.
"Between 15 and 20 per cent of all serious crashes on express
highways can be traced back to tiredness," said Karrer-Gauss. For the
study the psychologist interviewed 52 professional drivers and 19
road-safety researchers. A further group of 36 people took part in
simulator tests.
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