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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Module 1 -8 Body clock tells body processes when to have peaks & low points Example:  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! How does the human body clock affect fatigue?

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

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

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

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

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