The alerting effect of sleepiness self-ratings: Implications for GSR compliance and Driver Monitoring Systems
Driver sleepiness is a major contributor to road crashes, and reliable detection systems are essential for improving traffic safety. The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) is widely used as a reference measure in both research and regulatory frameworks, yet little is known about whether the act of rating sleepiness influences the driver’s state. This project aims to investigate whether KSS self-assessments have an alerting effect and, if so, how long this effect persists. Using high-resolution data from multiple driving simulator studies, we will analyze physiological (e.g., eye movements, heart rate, EEG) and behavioral indicators (e.g., lane-keeping) in the time window surrounding each KSS rating. Advanced time-series modeling will be applied to quantify immediate and short-term changes associated with the rating process. We hypothesize that KSS ratings induce a transient increase in alertness, with potential implications for the validity of subjective sleepiness measures and for the design and evaluation of driver monitoring systems under the EU General Safety Regulation (GSR).
Key words: Sleepiness, fatigue, KSS, alerting effect, DMS