An Examination of Common Coping Strategies Used to Combat Driver Fatigue

Abstract

Driver fatigue is recognized as an important highway safety risk. Many organizations have published recommendations for coping with driver fatigue. The authors explored the effectiveness of 10 common coping strategies, using a case-controlled design to examine the use of coping strategies among a random sample of college students (N = 301). The students were questioned about their use of coping strategies for driver fatigue and their record of having experienced a dozing-related incident. Odds ratios were calculated and 4 strategies—taking a walk, drinking caffeinated beverages, stopping for a nap, and chewing ice—were found to predict an incident. Three other strategies, snacking, rolling the window down, and talking with a passenger, were found to be protective.

Key Words:

• college students
• coping strategies
• fatigue
• traffic crashes

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ray M. Merrill

Walter A. Hanks, Gordon B. Lindsay, and Ray M. Merrill are with the Department of Health Sciences, College of Human Performance, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, where X. Alexis Driggs is with the College of Nursing.