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August 16th, 2006

"Poor Truck Driving Link to Sleep Problems"

A new study suggests that commercial truck drivers with chronic sleep disorders or sleep-related respiratory problems have a higher risk of impaired driving performance, making them a hazard on the road.

Sleep problems in truck drivers such as sleep apnea in which breathing is briefly interrupted several times during sleep, often results in daytime drowsiness that poses an increased risk of trucking accidents taking thousands of lives a year.

The Study

The new study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine evaluated the sleeping patterns of 406 commercial truck drivers. The truckers spent the night in a laboratory where they were monitored by several sleeping tests. Furthermore, the drivers were subjected to simulated driving tests in which the various reaction times were assessed.

The Results of the Study

The study found that out of the 406 truck drivers, 118 had some form of mild to moderate sleep apnea and 28 experienced severe sleep apnea. Researchers also concluded that truck drivers who got less than five hours of sleep a night performed poorly on reaction and alertness tests versus those who had sufficient sleep. The study indicates that some of the drivers did as badly on some tests as someone who consumed alcohol would do.

Experts recommend that truck drivers be regularly screened for chronic sleep deprivation and sleep apnea to monitor their performance and reduce the risk of serious truck accidents.

“In the United States, approximately 5,600 people are killed annually in crashes involving commercial trucks,” said Dr. Allan I. Pack, lead author of the study and director of the Centre for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology.

“Falling asleep while driving is an important factor in serious crashes involving commercial vehicles…Our analyses reveal that chronic sleep duration is a risk factor for subjective sleepiness, objectively measured sleepiness, and performance impairments.”

Injured in a trucking accident? Please contact us today to speak to a qualified and experienced personal injury lawyer who can protect your legal rights and maximize your interests.