Oikonomou M., Paschalidis I., Sekadakis M., Garefalakis T., Yannis G., “Effects of Fatigue on Driver Behavior in Urban and Highway Environments Using a Driving Simulator”, Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Transportation Research (Thessaloniki, Greece, 16-18 October 2025).

Existing literature suggests that fatigue impacts driver behavior and road safety negatively. The present study aims to investigate the effects of fatigue, particularly due to a lack of sleep, on driver behavior and road safety in both urban and highway environments. Α driving simulation experiment was conducted with 35 young drivers under controlled conditions. Participants drove in two phases: (i) well-rested and (ii) fatigued after sleep deprivation. The collected data were analyzed using linear regression models, to identify the effects of fatigue on key driving variables. The findings indicate that when fatigued, drivers exhibited increased speed and reaction time, shorter following distances, and reduced longitudinal acceleration. The effects were more noticeable in high-traffic conditions, where drivers showed a greater tendency to engage in risky behaviors. Drivers experiencing mild fatigue symptoms tended to underestimate them, leading to more aggressive driving behavior.