The analysis of working capacity changes in professional drivers

Abstract

The causes of traffic events are predetermined by abundant factors that affect simultaneously the driver and the vehicle involved in traffic. According to the statistics, the most important is the human factor, i.e. the totality of physical and psychological characteristics predetermining successful activities of a driver. Namely the human factor is the principal potential for increasing a reliability of drivers. Improper behaviour of drivers on driving most frequently is the principal cause of traffic events. One of the ways for minimizing the number of a driver's errors is an assessment of the factors that predetermine the driver's behaviour on the road to the maximum possible extent. Emergency situations and their consequences directly depend on proper and well-timed actions of the driver. The article presents a study on professional drivers' working capacity, defines the main criteria influencing it and provides an overview of the general impact of professional drivers' performance on road safety. A questionnaire survey method, aimed at identifying professional drivers' working capacity changes during on-duty hours, was applied in this article. It has been established how the respondents - professional drivers of the Joint Stock Company "Vilnius Public Transport" (Lith. - UAB .Vilniausviesasistransportas") - evaluate their working capacity changes according to the following indicators: direct fatigue, physiological changes during a work shift, the fatigue during the first (5-14 h.) and the second (14-23 h.) work shift, as well as the probability of alcoholic beverage consumption during off-duty (rest) hours.