The tragic and costly results of individuals/drivers private or commercial) falling asleep at the wheel are rightfully receiving considerable attention in the media and from numerous concerned industry and public interest groups. Much of the concern is that commercial drivers may fall asleep while driving as a result of an insufficient number of hours (quantity) of sleep between work (driving) shifts.
There is another sleep issue having a significant impact on “drowsy driving” crashes. It has more to do with the quality of a driver’s sleep than the quantity of that sleep. For many drivers the quality of sleep is adversely affected by a sleep disorder known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
OSA can negatively affect a driver’s ability to make good driving decisions and cause them to fall asleep behind the wheel. Even when not “at the wheel,” a driver with untreated OSA faces potentially life threatening medical complications.
