Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Module 1

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Module 1: Overview February 2007

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service © Microsoft® What if there were no rules limiting how many hours a driver could drive a commercial vehicle? n What would happen to the commercial vehicle driver? n What affect would it have on highway safety? n Module 1 - 2

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service What will I learn in this module? History and reasons for Hours of Service legislation n How the human body clock affects fatigue n How to identify driver fatigue n How to avoid sleep debt n © Microsoft® Module 1 - 3

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Why do we need Hours of Service legislation? Rules that commercial vehicle drivers follow in Canada n Maximum allowable driving times and minimum required off-duty times n Until recently, rules were not based on sleep and fatigue research n Module 1 - 4

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Fatigue and Alertness Study 1989 - 1996 n $6 million study n Driving long hours, day after day, results in serious fatigue caused by “sleep debt” n Fatigue leads to commercial vehicle collisions n Module 1 - 5

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service What is fatigue? Need adequate sleep to combat fatigue n Need to change Hours of Service regulations to allow opportunities for additional sleep n 10 years of consultations to make changes to regulations n © Microsoft® Module 1 - 6

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service What is fatigue? Caused by work, exertion or stress for long periods of time n People contribute to their fatigue by simply being awake n People become tired and drowsy n Increased chance of microsleep n © Microsoft® Module 1 - 7

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service How does the human body clock affect fatigue? Body clock tells body processes when to have peaks & low points n Example: n ¨ Midnight to dawn, clock tells body to lower body temperature, slow heart rate, lower blood pressure ¨ Body makes these changes whether we are asleep or awake! Module 1 - 8

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service How does the human body clock affect fatigue? Disrupting the clock can lead to a lack of sleep and increase in fatigue n Low points = increase in fatigue-related accidents n © Microsoft® Module 1 - 9

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service What are the symptoms of fatigue? Decreased judgment n Decreased decision-making ability n Diminished memory, reaction time, concentration n Worsened mood n Module 1 - 10

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service How can I avoid sleep debt? Only way to combat fatigue is sleep n Average person needs 6 - 8 hours of sleep per day n People who do not get sufficient daily sleep build a “sleep debt” n As sleep debt increases, people become less alert and drowsier n Module 1 - 11

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service How can I avoid sleep debt? Take 20 – 30 minute naps n Sleep for a longer period of time n Relax so the you have a deeper sleep n © Microsoft® Module 1 - 12

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations January 1, 2007 n Changes give commercial vehicle drivers opportunity to obtain adequate sleep n Changes are consistent with research on fatigue, human body clock and sleep debt n © Microsoft® Module 1 - 13