A Look at the Relationship Between Fatigue and Self-employed Truck Drivers

The shift in the transportation industry towards hiring self-employed drivers rather than those with permanent employment has become a trend in order to reduce expenses and labor responsibilities. However, this practice, known as out-sourcing, has been linked to a higher risk of accidents across various industries. The study aims to investigate the causes of fatigue in self-employed truck drivers. To do this, a literature review was performed to assess the impact of fatigue on self-employed truck drivers. Sleep, work-related factors, and health were found to be the main influences on fatigue with a lack of balance between work and rest time being the central issue. The intense pace of work for self-employed truck drivers results in physical and mental exhaustion, which affects their health and well-being. The demand for this type of work is driven by customers, suppliers, commercial agreements, and new business models, but it has led to precarious working conditions for many drivers. The manifestation of fatigue, such as slow response, decreased concentration, reckless behavior, or even falling asleep while driving, has been linked to numerous serious accidents. For these reasons, it is crucial to find ways to measure and control the factors that contribute to fatigue.