”I’m not right to drive, but I drove out the gate": personal and contextual factors affecting truck driver fatigue compliance

Truck drivers experience an elevated risk of being involved in a fatigue-related crash or incident. In Australia, approximately one third of fatal truck crashes are fatigue-related. Various contextual factors are known to increase truck crash risk, including long working hours, irregular schedules, delays while loading and unloading and limited access to suitable rest areas. Studies investigating personal factors affecting Australian truck drivers’ attitudes and compliance with fatigue-management requirements, however, are lacking. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian truck drivers and transport managers (N = 44) to determine how personal and contextual factors influence their intention to comply with fatigue regulation. The findings indicate that personal factors such as familial pressure, financial viability as well as inflexible enforcement and its personal consequences may influence fatigue-related health risks and compliance behaviours. This includes contextual factors such as work scheduling, training and new risk monitoring technologies. It is argued that government, transport industry peak bodies, managers, unions and truck drivers should work together to co-develop fatigue management strategies that account for personal factors likely to influence truck drivers’ intentions regarding fatigue compliance. This will support them to engage in safer and healthier fatigue management practices.