In April of 1999, the National Sleep Foundation stated that millions of Americans suffer from daytime sleepiness. Many times a driver doesn't even realize he has fallen asleep, or may be reluctant to admit to it. The sleepiness just sneaks up on drivers. It is well passed time to take a few precautions. Yet another cause of drowsy driving and falling asleep at the wheel is the presence of a sleep disorder.
Sleep apnea affects a lot of drivers.
This is a really terrifying thought. This condition is prevalent in bus and truck drivers because of their lifestyles. They spend long hours sitting at the wheel of their vehicle, get little exercise and often eat at fast food outlets. Add the threat of apnea to a driver already plagued by fatigue from long hours on the road, and you have a very dangerous situation. Dr. Mark Mahowald, past president of the National Academy of Sleep Medicine has declared that the failure to test commercial truck and bus drivers for sleep apnea is absolutely indefensible.