Drivers’ misjudgement of vigilance state during prolonged monotonous daytime driving

To investigate the effects of monotonous daytime driving on vigilance state and particularly the ability to judge this state, a real road driving study was conducted. To objectively assess vigilance state, performance (auditory reaction time) and physiological measures (EEG: alpha spindle rate, P3 amplitude; ECG: heart rate) were recorded continuously. Drivers judged sleepiness, attention to the driving task and monotony retrospectively every 20 min. Results showed that prolonged daytime driving under monotonous conditions leads to a continuous reduction in vigilance. Towards the end of the drive, drivers reported a subjectively improved vigilance state, which was contrary to the continued decrease in vigilance as indicated by all performance and physiological measures. These findings indicate a lack of self-assessment abilities after approximately 3 h of continuous monotonous daytime driving.