Prof. Hardianto is under the Ergonomics, Work Engineering, and Work Safety (ERK3) Research Group as one of the Head of the Research Group. Besides his role as a lecturer, Prof. Hardianto also serves as the Lab Director for Work System Design and Ergonomics, as well as the Head of the ITB Research Ethics Committee (REC).

His study focuses on Industrial Ergonomics and Transport Human Factors. He underlined that accidents which happened in road and rail traffic are usually caused by two main factors, fatigue and behavioral. His research specifically highlights the use of motorcycles. 

Statistics show that 84,5% of all motorized vehicles are motorcycles, and 75-81% of fatalities in accidents involve motorcyclists. Prof. Hardianto uses a variety of research techniques, such as naturalistic study which involves installing cameras in cars to watch how drivers behave while driving. In Indonesia, a number of online motorcycle taxi drivers and truck drivers have passed away during work, with the majority caused by cumulative fatigue. Therefore, fatigue and sleepiness are dominant factors causing accidents, although there is no unanimous agreement on the operational definition.

The main aspects of fatigue are working hours, break times, and the tasks performed. Fatigue can be induced by monotonous work, insufficient sleep, and erratic work schedules. Numerous methods are used to quantify fatigueness, including subjective assessment, performance metrics, neurophysiology, and behavioral observations. Thus, intervention and mitigation strategies can be implemented to reduce the number of accidents.  

In Indonesia, there is only a small amount of research that examines the behavioral aspects causing accidents especially on highways, whether they are deliberate or unintentional. Hence, the crucial thing to understand is the nature of behavior, especially when driving on the roads. 

“A person’s behavior is driven by motivation. However, once they hit the streets, their motivation becomes not personal but rather shaped by their peers,” he stated.

Research alone is still insufficient In order to fully comprehend the nature of driving behavior especially in Indonesia. The majority of study that has been done appears to simplify road behavior, which cannot be applied in Indonesia due to the uniqueness and complexity as well as the wide spectrum. As a result, a coordinated, systematic, and widely accepted strategy is needed to reduce accidents.

Reporter: Putri Nur Azizah (Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, 2021)
Translator: Sherina Wijaya (Geological Engineering, 2019)
Editor: Kezia Hosana