New Risk Management Study Findings Have Been Reported from Curtin University (Determinants of the occupational environment and heavy vehicle crashes…

New Risk Management Study Findings Have Been Reported from Curtin University (Determinants of the occupational environment and heavy vehicle crashes in Western Australia: A case-control study)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Fresh data on Risk Management are presented in a new report. According to news reporting from Perth, Australia, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "To determine the association between a heavy vehicle driver's work environment, including fatigue-related characteristics, and the risk of a crash in Western Australia. This case-control study included 100 long-haul heavy vehicle drivers who were involved in a police-reported crash in WA and 100 long-haul heavy vehicle drivers recruited from WA truck stops, who were not involved in a crash in the previous 12 months."

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Curtin University, "Driver demographics and driving details, work environment, vehicle and sleep-related characteristics were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Drivers were tested for obstructive sleep apnoea using an overnight diagnostic device. Conditional multiple logistic regression analysis was undertaken to determine work environment-related factors associated with crash involvement. After accounting for potential confounders, driving a heavy vehicle with an empty load was associated with almost a three-fold increased crash risk compared to carrying general freight (adjusted OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.17-7.34). Driving a rigid heavy vehicle was associated with a four-fold increased risk of crashing compared to articulated heavy vehicles (adjusted OR: 4.08, 95% CI: 1.13-14.68). The risk of crashing was almost five times higher when driving more than 50% of the trip between midnight and 5.59 am (adjusted OR: 4.86, 95% CI: 1.47-16.07). Furthermore, the risk of crashing significantly increased if the time since the last break on the index trip was greater than 2 h (adjusted OR: 2.18, 95% Cl: 1.14-4.17). Drivers with more than 10 years driving experience were 52% less likely to be involved in a crash (adjusted OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.23-0.99). The results provide support for an association between a driver's work environment, fatigue related factors, and the risk of heavy vehicle crash involvement."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Greater attention needs to be paid to the creation of a safer work environment for long distance heavy vehicle drivers."

For more information on this research see: Determinants of the occupational environment and heavy vehicle crashes in Western Australia: A case-control study. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2017;99():452-458. Accident Analysis and Prevention can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Accident Analysis and Prevention - www.journals.elsevier.com/accident-analysis-and-prevention/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting L. Meuleners, Curtin University, C MARC, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Additional authors for this research include M.L. Fraser, M.H. Govorko and M.R. Stevenson.

Keywords for this news article include: Perth, Australia, Australia and New Zealand, Risk Management, Curtin University.

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