An investigation into driver fatigue on the N3 between Villiers and Warden

Abstract

The N3 Toll Concession (Pty) Ltd (N3TC) manages the 420 km of the N3 Route between Heidelberg (Gauteng) and Cedara (KwaZulu-Natal) on behalf of SANRAL. The N3 Route is described as one of the busiest roads in South Africa linking the port of Durban with the economic hub of Johannesburg. Large volumes of vehicles (of which around a third are heavy vehicles) travel on this road daily. This paper reports on the findings of a research study into the role that driver fatigue plays in crashes occurring on specifically the 100 km (Sections N3/8x, N3/8; and N3/9) stretch between Warden and Villiers in the Free State Province. The research project entailed a literature review on fatigue and drowsy driving, human factors for engineering study as well as a study on driver fatigue as contributory factor in crashes along the respective section of freeway. All the road sections mentioned have their own unique characteristics in terms of the road environment, the type of crashes that occur as well as the level of fatigue experienced by long-haul heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers. This research paper provides an overview of the findings from the human factors for engineering study.