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Truck Drivers At Risk Because Of Sleep Apnea

Sat, May 19, 2012

Driver Fatigue Kills

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald (http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/trucking-industry-recipe-for-risk-expert-20120518-1yvxs.html) discusses the extraordinary risks truck drivers are exposed to as a results of sleep disdorders such as sleep apnoea.

One of the keynote presenters at the Australian Trucking Convention was Sydney University PhD student, Lisa Sharwood.  Sharwood told the convention that a massive 40 per cent of the 517 drivers she studied suffer from sleep apnoea, which increases the risk of being sleepy while driving.  This massively increases the risk of 'micro sleeps', where the driver inadvertently dozes for a few seconds at a time.  When the vehicle is travelling at speed, a great deal can and does go horribly wrong while drivers are micro sleepling.

driver_fatigue_fact_sheet.jpg

 

Drivers (and others) who are overweight, snorers, experiencing waking tiredness and daytime sleepiness are at very high risk of suffering from a sleep disordered breathing condition.  This is potentially life threatening. 

To find out more, arrange a diagnostic sleep study as soon as possible.  Medicare and private health insurance rebates apply, making the test very affordable.  Any subsequent treatment is also highly affordable and extremely effective.  Contact us today.

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