Psychology Report: Sleep Deprivation's Impact on Driving Performance

This report analyzes three articles related to the impact of sleep deprivation on driving performance and accident risk. The first article examines the cognitive components involved in simulated driving performance and the effects of sleep loss, highlighting the importance of information processing speed in handling traffic situations. The second article assesses the role of sleep-related factors, ethnicity, and socioeconomic deprivation in self-reported motor vehicle accidents, emphasizing the impact of chronic sleep restriction. The third article compares the effects of sleep deprivation on professional and non-professional drivers, finding similar deterioration in driving performance. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings, emphasizing the link between sleep disorders, drowsy driving, and increased accident risk, and suggesting measures to improve driver vigilance and safety. The report draws on research including studies on simulated driving, national surveys, and investigations into the performance of both professional and non-professional drivers. The report offers insights into the practical implications of sleep deprivation on driving behavior and the need for interventions to mitigate the risks associated with drowsy driving.

Psychology

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
Article 1: Cognitive components of simulated driving performance:.........................................3
Sleep loss effects and predictors................................................................................................3
Article 2: Sleep, sleepiness and motor vehicle accidents:...........................................................4
a national survey........................................................................................................................4
Article 3: Deterioration in Driving Performance During Sleep Deprivation Is Similar in
Professional and Non-professional Drivers................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
There are huge number of accidents which are reported due to sleeping problems and this
may cause death to someone. On the other hand sleep deprivation may cause the driver to face
hazardous impacts. Sleep loss is pervasive occupational hazard among shift worker and gives
various implication in relation to productivity and performance. The current report is associated
with analysing impact of sleep deprivation over human and increasing rate of accidents. Along
with this the report is analysing those cognitive components which are helpful in stimulating
driving performance.
MAIN BODY
Article 1: Cognitive components of simulated driving performance:
Sleep loss effects and predictors
The major aim of this article is to stimulate driving performance of professional and non-
professional drivers. Besides this assistance of neurocognitive tests are obtained in order to align
the same with determining impact of sleep deprivation within driving performance. This research
is important in order to determine the components which are causing drowsy driving. On the
other hand this research is important in order to examine neurocognitive components which are
occurring due to sleep deprivation and affect driving habits of an individual. Various tasks were
executed in this article such as simulated driving task (AusEd), the psychomotor
vigilance test (PVT), and neurocognitive tasks selected from the Cognitive Drug Research
computerised
neurocognitive assessment battery (simple and choice RT, Stroop Task, Digit Symbol
Substitution Task,
and Digit Vigilance Task).
Driving is primarily automatised, although it does involve some
shifts to controlled processing when routine reactions are insufficient to deal with novel or
complex traffic situations. So this can be said that information processing speed is defined as an
important component of driving which may be helpful in dealing with traffic situations. Driving
is a complex task that requires a number of skills. The
driver continuously receives information from the road scene, analyses it, and reacts according
to knowledge of traffic systems, driving

regulations, conditions of the vehicle, applications of the road rules
and their previous driving experiences.
Within this article two variables are added in which one is dependent and another one is
independent. Dependent variable is cognitive components and independent variables are driving
performance and sleep loss. The present article is framed in research format and under this
hypotheses are framed such as:
H1: Impact of total sleep deprivation on performance and
subjective sleepiness
H2: Relationship between neurocognitive tasks and driving
performance
With the help of ANOVA analysis research hypotheses can be analysed and aligned with
research objectives. This is determined by undertaking value of 'P'. As when value of 'p' is less
than 0.05 then hypotheses will be rejected whereas when value of 'P' is more than 0.05 then
hypotheses will be accepted. From the data provided in the ANOVA table this can be concluded
that H1 hypotheses is accepted as value of 'P' is more than 0.05. Whereas for H2 the hypotheses
is rejected as value of 'P' is less than 0.05. On the other hand the method used within this
research is quantitative method as data were collected from differential respondents.
The major results obtained from the research is that a period
of acute sleep deprivation can lead to deterioration in a number
of driving-related processes, which in turn may affect individuals’ ability to drive safely. The
research has identified that decrements in driving and
psychomotor function and subjective sleepiness following 27 h of
acute sleep deprivation during a circadian peak period. So this study is suggesting measures
within vigilance which can helpful in determining driving impairment of drowsy drivers.
Article 2: Sleep, sleepiness and motor vehicle accidents:
a national survey
The major objective of this report is to assess the role of sleep-
related factors, ethnicity and socio-
economic deprivation in self-reported motor
vehicle accidents while driving, after
controlling for gender, age and driving

. This research is important in order to analyse chronic sleep restrictions and possibilities of
dozing off while driving and this is dependent over various factors such as fatigue related issues.
Besides this the research is aimed over analysing reinforcement of need for multi-faceted
campaigns so that to minimise risks while driving.
The research is associated with two variable in which one is dependent and other one is
independent. In this dependent variable is motor vehicle accident and independent variable is
sleep or sleepiness. The research is taking place by analysing range of questions in which
differentiated factors are analysed that are holding prominent importance within causing of sleep
and accidents on roads.
Research questions
 To analyse the role of sleep related factors within driving exposure.
 To examine the impact of economic deprivation over driving exposure.
 To explore accidents after controlling gender and age within driving exposure.
The article is covering various aspects in which chronic sleep is caused and a
questionnaire were framed containing 17 questions. Within this questionnaire 7048 responses
were received and this helped the researcher to obtain results in managed manner. This research
is containing descriptive research in which chi square test were also performed. As the research
is conducted for the areas of New Zealand so all the aspects are related with contributive factors
which are causing accidents to professionals and non-professional drives due to sleep risk. The
sampling method used within this research is stratified sampling in which participants from age
group of 30 to 59 years.
The major result drawn from the study is to interact with ethnicity and
gender so this could be aligned with finding out results related to likelihood of reporting an
accident. Besides this various factors are identified those are leading due to not getting enough
sleep. First, statistics for crash related injuries and deaths include passengers, whereas the present
study related only to drivers. Second, routinely collected crash
statistics also do not capture many of the less severe accidents
that appear to have been reported in this study. Factors relating to chronic
sleepiness were as important as established
demographic risk factors for self-reported
motor vehicle accident involvement among

30-60 year-old drivers.
Article 3: Deterioration in Driving Performance During Sleep Deprivation Is Similar in
Professional and Non-professional Drivers
The objective of this study is to analyse effects of sleep deprivation over drivers and to
analyse performance changes during the time of acute sleep derivation within professional or
non-professional drivers. The research is important as to analyse the facts for resistance over
sleep and other vulnerable aspects. The research is associated with two variable such as
dependent and independent variable. Dependent variable within this research is professional and
non-professional and independent variable is driving performance. Under this research 20 non
professional drivers were given to provide some specific task and and the Psychomotor
Vigilance Task (PVT) during 24 hours of continuous wakefulness. Ratings of subjective
sleepiness were also
examined.
The study is demonstrating chronic sleepiness and dozing at the time of driving which are
highly common in transport drivers. the types of individuals who are more able to cope with, or
adapt to, sleep loss has implications for a range of industries that involve shift work scheduling.
The participants over monitored within a laboratory throughout the sleep deprivation so that to
endure that they haven't taken a single nap. In between testing sessions, participants were
allowed to partake
in passive activities, such as reading or watching videos with
ambient light maintained at less than 50 lux.
Research questions
 To analyse to examine effect of sleep deprivation over professional and non-professional
drivers.
 To compare the changes within performance during acute sleep deprivation within
professional and non-professional.
The research design is descriptive in which data is collected by researcher so that to
provide appropriate conclusion. The research is aiming at providing insight related to examining
impact of decreasing driving performance due to sleep deprivation. Professional drivers are
displaying change in psychomotor and driving performance during hours of sleep deprivation
which is similar to non professional drivers. The strength of this study is that inclination of

professional and non-professional drivers can be analysed due to which their sleeping behaviour
can be analysed. Similarly in terms of weakness as the sample size is very high due to which this
is very hard to take out appropriate results.
CONCLUSION
From the above report this can be concluded that within the report three articles are
analysed and all are linked with driving conditions and sleep disorders. This is regarded as
restrictions in which chronic sleepiness within motor vehicle are leading to examine such risk
factors which are causing accidents. Besides this another article is linked with drowsy drivers
and their impairment with driving. This is suggesting measures of vigilance and various
determinants in which drowsy drivers may feel difficulties. The theoretical and practical
implication in examining such issues and aspects in which professional and non-professional
drivers may learn something.

REFERENCES
books and journals
Gander, P. H., Marshall, N. S., Harris, R. B., & Reid, P. (2005). Sleep, sleepiness and motor
vehicle accidents: a national survey. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public
Health, 29(1), 16–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2005.tb00742.x
Howard, M. E., Jackson, M. L., Swann, P., Berlowitz, D. J., Grunstein, R. R., & Pierce, R. J.
(2014). Deterioration in Driving Performance During Sleep Deprivation Is Similar in
Professional and Nonprofessional Drivers. Traffic Injury Prevention, 15(2), 132–137.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2013.800637
Jackson, M. L., Croft, R. J., Kennedy, G. A., Owens, K., & Howard, M. E. (2013). Cognitive
components of simulated driving performance: Sleep loss effects and predictors.
Accident Analysis and Prevention, 50, 438–444.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2012.05.020