A method for monitoring a vehicle operator can be executed by a controller and includes the following steps: (a) receiving image data of a vehicle operator's head; (b) tracking facial feature points of the vehicle operator based on the image data; (c) creating a 3D model of the vehicle operator's head based on the facial feature points in order to determine a 3D position of the vehicle operator's head; (d) determining a gaze direction of the vehicle operator based on a position of the facial feature points and the 3D model of the vehicle operator's head; (e) determining a gaze vector based on the gaze direction and the 3D position of the vehicle operator's head; and (f) commanding an indicator to activate when the gaze vector is outside a predetermined parameter.