Exploring Virtual Reality as an Educational Tool for Raising Awareness and Mitigating Driver Fatigue Risks: A Preliminary Study Between the UK and Italy

Driver fatigue is a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in road safety, contributing to nearly a quarter of traffic accidents in the UK and Italy. Despite its substantial role in accidents, safety campaigns predominantly focus on more visible risks like speeding and alcohol consumption, leaving fatigue inadequately addressed. To bridge this gap, innovative educational approaches are needed, with Virtual Reality (VR) emerging as a promising tool. This study investigates the use of VR simulators as an educational intervention to enhance public awareness and promote behavioural change concerning fatigued driving. The research is structured around a three-phase methodology: (1) a survey to assess public awareness and inform the design of the simulations, (2) the development of VR-based simulations, and (3) a qualitative evaluation of their impact. This paper presents the Phase 1 findings from a survey involving 34 participants (17 from the UK, 17 from Italy). The results indicate that driver fatigue is a prevalent issue, widely perceived as under-recognised in the UK and Italy. Notably, 94% of respondents expressed interest in using VR to understand the risks of fatigued driving better, preferring an immersive environment with visual and auditory cues. These findings underscore the potential of VR to address existing gaps in road safety education and foster safer driving behaviours within a controlled, immersive environment, thereby mitigating both the economic and social costs associated with road accidents in the real world.