Drowsy Driving—A Common Cause of Road Accidents
The numbers of injuries and deaths as a result of drowsy driving are astounding. A recent U.S. study showed –
• 341,000 police reported large truck and bus crashes annually
• 4,500 deaths annually
• 130,000 injuries annually
• 278,000 incidents of property damage
The causes of these crashes may be related to the duration of professional drivers performing their duties, including long-haul truckers, bus drivers, van drivers, train conductors, and airplane pilots. These individuals spend more time driving than members of the general population. Many times, to meet deadlines and schedules, they may exceed safe driving duration and, as a proof, they are predisposed to sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and other disorders, which increase the incidence of drowsy driving.
Even without a formal sleep diagnostic test, an experienced forensic sleep physician can accurately assess a possibility whether any given accident may have been caused by an underlying sleep disorder or extended hours of driving.