Whether you are a safety manager for a company that has a large commercial trucking fleet or one whose fleet is comprised of a handful of salesmen who are routinely on the road, you need to be aware of the potential risks associated with sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, and driver fatigue. A recent Harvard study revealed that sleep apnea sufferers are 242 percent more likely to crash their vehicles. Also, a University of Pennsylvania study sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) and the American Transportation Research Institute of the American Trucking Association indicates that nearly 30 percent of truckers, as well as other drivers, may suffer from the disorder. Liability risks for organizations can be staggering. For example, a Canadian trucking company recently paid more than $3 million to a woman from Texas whose husband died after a truck rear-ended their vehicle. The truck driver in that case suffered from sleep apnea that went untreated.
Also, the FMSCA has been looking closely at this problem and will likely propose regulations related to sleep disorder and driver fatigue in the future. However, there are very practical actions that a company can take now to reduce accidents caused by sleep disorder and driver fatigue rather than waiting for the regulations.
