An exploratory study of long-haul truck drivers' secondary tasks and reasons for performing them.
2018 (English)In: Accident Analysis and Prevention, ISSN 0001-4575, E-ISSN 1879-2057, Vol. 117, p. 154-163, article id S0001-4575(18)30149-0Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Research on drivers has shown how certain visual-manual secondary tasks, unrelated to driving, increase the risk of being involved in crashes. The purpose of the study was to investigate (1) if long-haul truck drivers in Sweden engage in secondary tasks while driving, what tasks are performed and how frequently, (2) the drivers' self-perceived reason/s for performing them, and (3) if psychological factors might reveal reasons for their engaging in secondary tasks. The study comprised 13 long-haul truck drivers and was conducted through observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The drivers performed secondary tasks, such as work environment related "necessities" (e.g., getting food and/or beverages from the refrigerator/bag, eating, drinking, removing a jacket, face rubbing, and adjusting the seat), interacting with a mobile phone/in-truck technology, and doing administrative tasks. The long-haul truck drivers feel bored and use secondary tasks as a coping strategy to alleviate boredom/drowsiness, and for social interaction. The higher number of performed secondary tasks could be explained by lower age, shorter driver experience, less openness to experience, lower honesty-humility, lower perceived stress, lower workload, and by higher health-related quality of life. These explanatory results may serve as a starting point for further studies on large samples to develop a safer and healthier environment for long-haul truck drivers.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2018. Vol. 117, p. 154-163, article id S0001-4575(18)30149-0
Keywords [en]
Health-related quality of life, Long-haul truck drivers, Perceived stress, Personality traits, Secondary tasks, Workload
National Category
Applied Psychology
Research subject
SOCIAL SCIENCE, Psychology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-12273DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2018.04.010ISI: 000436888400017PubMedID: 29702333Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85046157794OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hv-12273DiVA, id: diva2:1202778
Funder
VINNOVA, D2016-04263
Note
Funders: Volvo Group Trucks Technology, D2016-04263
2018-04-302018-04-302019-02-05Bibliographically approved