Usage of the device keeping the driver from falling asleep as a factor in reducing road accidents

Abstract

A significant proportion of internal transportation of goods is carried out by road. Statistics show that a large number of road traffic accidents, including fatalities, have to do with the driver falling asleep behind the wheel. A method was developed to stop the driver from falling asleep behind the wheel and a device to implement it; as a result, a patent for an invention was obtained. Some experimental studies were realized to implement this method and ensure the functioning of the device. As an example, the results of an experiment with KAMAZ 55102 motor vehicle were quoted, including the measure of the steering wheel angle (αBH = 4,6°) above which it is considered as steering of the wheel operator. In addition to that, the value of the minimum allowable number of steerings of the awake operator in a unit of time was given, and it came up to 0.5 steerings a second. Based on the experimental studies, some theoretical dependences describing the operation of the device preventing the driver from falling asleep at the wheel of a vehicle were developed.