According to a FoxNew.com report, approximately 28% of professional truck drivers suffer from some level of obstructive sleep apnea. People who have sleep apnea can experience signs of fatigue and drowsiness throughout the day. When truck drivers, who operate trucks weighing 80,000 pounds, suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, they are often driving fatigued, creating a dangerous environment for themselves and other motorists. Although truck drivers driving drowsy is a common cause of commercial vehicle crashes, it is challenging to identify fatigue as the primary cause since professional truck drivers are hesitant to acknowledge that they caused an accident because they fell asleep at the wheel.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a medical condition that affects the way someone breathes while they sleep. The disorder causes hundreds of brief interruptions of breathing while sleeping. These interruptions in breathing may last as long as 10 seconds and can happen hundreds of times a night. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, sleep apnea is a very serious, potentially life-threatening medical condition that is often unrecognized and undiagnosed.
It is believed that sleep apnea is common amongst truck drivers due to their lifestyle. Truck drivers sit behind the steering wheel for long periods of time, eat on the go, and need more time to exercise adequately. According to statistics, over two-thirds of professional truck drivers are overweight, and many truckers are smokers. As a result of these lifestyle choices, a lot of professional truck drivers are in poor health. Obesity is a primary risk factor for developing sleep apnea. Studies show that overweight truck drivers have an increased risk of being involved in an accident than drivers who have a healthier weight. Preventing truck accidents requires solving the obesity crisis impacting so many commercial truck drivers.
The National Transportation Safety Board advises that commercial truck drivers receive annual medical screenings to determine their fitness for the job, and these medical examinations are often not covered by medical insurance. Traffic safety experts believe that these tests should be mandatory, while truck drivers have voiced their opinions against mandatory medical or sleep apnea testing. However, the costs of undiagnosed, untreated sleep apnea cost lives. Right now, there is no federal law requiring truck drivers to undergo sleep apnea testing, and drowsy truck drivers are making deliveries throughout the United States.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a motor carrier cannot and should not allow a commercial motor vehicle driver to drive if they have a medical condition such as sleep apnea. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also recommends that commercial drivers who have sleep apnea “fully use the treatment provided by their doctor.” However, these recommendations have yet to become law.
CONTACT PARKER WAICHMAN LLP FOR A FREE CASE REVIEW
Parker Waichman LLP helps families recover monetary compensation for harm caused by dangerous drivers. For your free consultation, contact our tractor-trailer truck accident attorneys today by using our live chat or calling 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
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