[Stress of driving: general overview].

Driving is a stressful task that requires high levels of attention and vigilance to cope properly with job demands, mainly related to working hours and timetables, weather and traffic conditions, passengers and goods safety, responsibility in case of error and/or accident. Scientific literature shows a higher prevalence of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neuropsychic and musculoskeletal disorders, and consequent sick leaves, in professional bus/lorry and train drivers. Several studies have emphasized that stress, fatigue and excessive sleepiness give a significant contribution to occupational road and rail accidents. There are noteworthy, interindividual differences concerning alertness/sleepiness and tolerance to fatigue, related to psychophysiological and behavioural characteristics and health status, in particular: age, ability to overcome drowsiness, morningness/eveningness, diet and intake of psychotropic substances (alcohol, drugs, medicaments), primary and secondary sleep disorders (insomnia, ipersomnias, parasomnias).