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Sleep Apnea and Driving
It is a HOT topic right now. How many of you have fallen asleep while driving? I have, and I could have killed somebody, but I was lucky. Now I am a compliant cpap user and I don't suffer the same symptoms that I once did. We all learned last week that a Boston trolley driver that fell asleep at the wheel and was killed, most likely had sleep apnea. (see story at http://cpapcritic.com ) When I worked for a DME company we had drivers who had to pass a hazmat D.O.T. physical. One of my drivers had sleep apnea, and was required to do a compliance download before the Dr. would sign his medical certificate. I think that is the way it should be... at least for proffesional drivers. What do you think?
Views: 23
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by bonesigh on
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I'm all for compliance with a medical certificate for professional drivers. I have not fallen asleep (as far as I know) but I have become very sleepy.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Swickard on
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HI Jim,
Prior to being diagnosed with Sleep Apnea in early 2007 and put on a CPAP machine I would fall asleep at work, driving at home anywhere. No matter how hard I tried to stay a wake I would fall asleep. In Feb of 2005 I had a 1 car accident while driving home from work that totalled my vehicle although I was uninjured. I had no clue I had sleep apnea at the time or even eaht sleep apnea is and my health cotinued to detriorate until I was in the ICU in 2007. So yes I use to fall asleep quite often before I started treatment. I'd also believe those that suffer from sleep apnea like myself would need a medical certificate to drive professionally. Since I started with the CPAP I no longer fall asleep.
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Permalink Reply by Moe-jo on
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I haven't fallen asleep while driving. I worry about that given how my shifts work, but I've been lucky. I'm really conscious of how I'm feeling when driving home from work after working night shifts. I wouldn't hesitate to pull over if I got drowsy. In fact, I'd be permitted to sleep at work before going home, if I needed.
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Permalink Reply by Dan Lyons on
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This is a response I posted to a thread concerning a related topic. It may provide some bearing into this thread.
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It is such a sheer “delight” to stand and see the destruction an impaired driver can cause to so many innocent lives. These persons have absolutely no respect for anyone or anything.
Rock, I have been in that position to many times. It is an image to which you never erase and which you pray you never have to experience again. The victims, young or old, of the stupidity are forever burned into your mind.
In most states, the laws for driving under the influence, whether alcohol, drugs, or both, read “drive or operate a motor vehicle upon a highway while under the influence.” Nowhere in that portion do you see a blood/alcohol level. The blood/alcohol level to which most states set as a benchmark, are just that, a benchmark. The key phrase is “under the influence”.
Reckless Driving, by definition, is the “willful and wanton disregard for life and property.”
Many things affect the effects of alcohol. A person’s size and tolerance to ETOH, prescription medications, and sleep, just to name a few. Any and all can add up to influence.
Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle even while sleepy can constitute reckless driving. A person suffering from untreated sleep apnea is technically guilty of “willful and wanton disregard to life and property.”
It is almost an everyday occurrence in which a driver who falls asleep behind the wheel or controls of a vehicle inflicts damage to someone’s life.
Almost every person, who has a driver’s license and who has been diagnosed and then subsequently treated, successfully, has been guilty of disregarding life and property. The majority have just been lucky, but what about those that weren’t?
What a person needs to remember is that vehicle to which they sit themselves behind the wheel of, is a 2-ton weapon, no different than a gun. The destruction to life is nonetheless.
In this country, the lawmakers have tried for years to legislate morals without success. The problem is they can’t outlaw stupidity and it seems to be running rampant.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Thayer on
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The insidious thing I found out after diagnosis was that my "normal" state was highly dangerous. I didn't get into that state immediately, it progressed slowly over many years from truly normal to dangerous. I would try to compensate with 5 hr. energy drinks and sleeping at rest stops etc.to keep from falling asleep. Those things refreshed me enough so that I wouldn't fall asleep. Finally, all of that stopped working and I fell asleep. Was that negligent driving? Technically speaking, yes it was. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but they could have been.
About the only good thing I can say about it is that it strongly motivated me to seek an answer for my sleepiness and I'm sure will motivate me compliant with treatment so that I won't repeat falling asleep at the wheel.
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