The Reality of Fatigued Driving

At the end of an estimated 20-hour 

work shift, three oil and gas workers 

drove from a remote work site to the 

employer’s bunkhouse and found 

it was full. Around midnight, they began a 10-hour trip 

home. After only 25 miles, the driver fell asleep at the 

wheel. The vehicle veered off the road at a curve and 

rolled several times. None of the workers were wearing 

a seat belt and were all ejected. Two workers died.

Warning Signs

4Frequent yawning

4 Heavy eyelids

4 Drifting from your lane

4 Forgetting last few miles driven

Oil and gas workers drive long distances from their homes, lodging sites, and 

equipment yards to reach well sites that are often in remote areas. The combination 

of long trips with long shifts can result in fatigue. 

Fatigued (drowsy) driving is a major cause of crashes in this industry. Crashes 

are the leading cause of death for oil and gas extraction workers. This fact sheet 

gives drivers information about fatigue and tips to stay safe behind the wheel.

Fatigued driving is linked to several factors.

Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

Oil and Gas 

Workers:

How to Prevent Fatigued Driving at Work

Time of day

Your natural body clock (circadian rhythm) gives 

strong signals that it’s time to sleep at night and 

early morning hours. You may also experience 

a dip in alertness in the afternoon. 

Length of time awake

The more hours awake, the more likely you are 

to be fatigued. Fatigue can impair your driving 

and other tasks, similar to alcohol impairment. 

If you don’t get enough sleep for many days in 

a row, you can also suffer impairment.

Monotonous tasks

Driving for extended periods 

of time with few changes in 

routine can increase risk of 

fatigued or inattentive driving.

Medications and 

health conditions

Illnesses, diseases, and some 

medications may interfere with 

your alertness, increasing the 

risk of fatigued driving.
Oil and gas workers: Take the following 

actions to stay safe behind the wheel.

Resources & Tools for 

oil and gas workers:

NIOSH Motor Vehicle Safety at Work

www.cdc.gov/niosh/motorvehicle

Explore work-related motor vehicle 

safety resources.

CDC Drowsy Driving

www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep 

drowsy_driving.html

Learn the risks of drowsy driving.

CMV Driving Tips — Driver Fatigue

www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/driver-safety/

cmv-driving-tips-driver-fatigue

Access tips that will help commercial 

motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. 

Sleep.org

www.sleep.org

Learn how sleep impacts your health. 

Your Guide to Healthy Sleep

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/

sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf

Get information about sleep disorders and 

ways to improve sleep and alertness.

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration

www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drowsydriving

Understand the scope of the problem

of drowsy driving.

DrowsyDriving.org

www.drowsydriving.org

Find warning signs and facts.

Mention of any company or product does not 

constitute endorsement by the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, citations 

to websites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH 

endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their 

programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible 

for the content of these websites. All web addresses 

referenced in this document were accessible as of the 

publication date. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2018–126 

https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2018126 March 2018

What can workers do to 

prevent fatigued driving?

q Get enough sleep.

q Stay well-rested and alert by getting 7-9 hours of sleep each day 

in a dark, quiet, and comfortable space.

q Tell friends and family you need to get enough sleep before you 

start a work shift. 

q For long commutes, travel the day before or after your hitch 

begins or ends.

q When extended wait times on well sites occur, get sleep on site by 

using rest locations if available, or create a restful environment 

by using ear plugs, eye masks, etc.

q Make sure you understand and follow your company’s policies 

about fatigue management, planning travel, 

and hours-of-service requirements.

q Plan your trip to include safe places to take rest breaks and get 

nutritious food.

q Let others know where you will be and when. Check in regularly.

q Maintain good health.

q If your job is not active, engage in physical activity two and half 

hours per week. 

q Avoid sugar-rich and low-fiber carbohydrate foods (such as 

cookies, sweetened drinks, white bread, pasta). 

q Be aware of the signs of sleep disorders, and seek screening.

q Use stop work authority at any time you feel it is unsafe 

to continue driving. Intervene if you believe a coworker 

may be fatigued.

q In an emergency situation where you feel tired but must drive a 

little longer: pull over, drink a cup of coffee, and take a nap for 

15-30 minutes before continuing.

Myths:

I can use caffeine regularly 

to make up for lack of sleep.

I can stay awake by rolling down 

my window and turning up the radio.

Truth:

There is no 

substitute 

for sleep.

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