Florida Truck Drivers Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel

Sleep apnea is a well known health issue commonly described as abnormal pauses in breathing or very low breathing during sleep, caused in most cases by a physical block to airflow.

Most people also know that sleep apnea increases with age, smoking and obesity.

The main effects of sleep apnea are daytime fatigue, impaired reaction time and vision problems. Other effects may include decreased vigilance, motivation, judgment or information processing.

Whereas sleep apnea can impair anyone's life, from machine operators to car drivers, the issue of sleep apnea among truck drivers has been the subject of much debate recently for two main reasons:

• Accidents caused by large trucks are devastating and kill or injure predominantly the occupants of other vehicles;
• Long-haul truck drivers do not generally lead healthy lives, both in terms of eating and of sleeping or resting.

In other words there are in proportion far more truck drivers who do not find the place, the money and the time to exercise and eat wholesome meals, which means that they tend to put on more weight than those who lead a regular lives around their homes. And truck drivers are subjected to challenging work schedules, with long and irregular service hours and short rest time, making the quality of sleep much more important.

Many industry observers think that testing truck drivers for sleep apnea should come sooner rather than later. The facts are:

• The consequences and cost of keeping a drowsy truck driver behind the wheel can be dramatic;
• Sleep apnea can be treated relatively easily using a CPAP-device (continuous positive airway pressure) that doesn't cost much more than $400.

The Daytona Beach truck accident attorneys of Johnson & Gilbert are dedicated to the safety of their clients. If you or a loved one has been injured in an 18-wheeler crash in Central or North Florida, call us today toll free at (800) 556-8890 and locally at (386) 673-4412 or fill out the form on this page for a free consultation.