Sleep condition poses driving risk

European Union (EU) countries are about to add another medical condition to driving standards legislation – Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

Sufferers of OSA cannot sleep and breathe at the same time. As the sufferer falls asleep their throat collapses and air is prevented from getting to the lungs.

Lack of breath eventually causes the sufferer to semi-awaken and the throat reopens with a loud snore. This recurs between 250 and 400 times per night.

Often sufferers are not aware that they have the condition, although family members may complain that they snore, and the sufferer may feel drowsy during the day – due to lack of uninterrupted sleep at night.

This could be especially dangerous for drivers towing caravans or driving larger vehicles like motor-homes.

Researchers have found, however, that OSA sufferers have seven times the risk of being involved in a traffic accident. Some countries estimate that OSA has been responsible for between five to ten per cent of all motor vehicle accidents.

At present, only nine of the EU member states ask about OSA during the application for a driving licence.

EU countries debated how best to obtain a diagnosis for the severity of the disease, and what effects treatment could have upon the driver at a conference in October 2007.

26/11/2007 14:55:03