Truckers and Sleep, Trucker Sleeping

Trucking As An Occupation

There are all kinds of driving jobs. Many local driving jobs have you home every night, while some run at night and let you sleep in the daytime. Some long distance drivers can live on the road and only get home every month or two. Most long distance drivers have sleeper cabs but finding a safe place to park is sometimes a challenge. Truck stops and major rest areas that are patrolled are generally safe. Drivers who are on the road a long time will occasionally spend for the comfort of a hotel room. Some hotels have truck parking and are relatively inexpensive. Reimbursement varies by company but a large number of drivers are independent contractors, which means they pay all of their own expenses.

There are many different arrangements so it's a matter of finding a match with a company that fits the trucker's needs and style. Regarding partners, there are many opportunities for team drivers on long haul lanes which allow one driver to sleep while the other one drives.

The Problem, The Risks

Clinical studies have shown that commercial truck drivers have a higher incidence of the most severe form of OSA — 20%-30%, compared with 2% of women over age 40 and 4% of men over 40, says David Rapoport, medical director of the New York University School of Medicine Sleep Disorders Center.

Covidien, a healthcare company, found that approximately 28% of commercial truck drivers suffer from sleep apnea and many fail to keep up with the necessary treatments. "Every 16 minutes in America, somebody is killed or injured in a truck-related accident and we know that at the core of those accidents often is sleep deprivation or a trucker being fully asleep behind the wheel", according to Covidien management.

Multiple studies have shown that automobile drivers who have sleep apnea have a 2½ times greater risk of being in a crash, Pack says. "And the crashes you get into tend to be fairly severe," he says, adding that no studies have been done on the crash risk of commercial truck drivers who have sleep apnea.

Federal regulators already can ground drivers they believe are susceptible to drowsiness; the changes, if implemented, would give them more authority.

The federal agency's guidelines on truckers and sleep apnea need an update based on improved science and the medical community's better understanding of the condition, says Dave Osiecki, vice president of safety, security and operations at the American Trucking Associations, which represents trucking companies.

Tips To Avoid Driving While Drowsy

Watch for these warning signs that you might be too sleepy to drive safely:

Trouble keeping your eyes focused
Continual yawning
Inability to recall driving the last few miles

If you feel sleepy while driving, pull off the road to a safe place and take a nap for 15 to 20 minutes.

Be well rested before hitting the road. Keep in mind that if you skimp on sleep for several nights in a row, it might take more than 1 night of good sleep to be well rested and alert.
Avoid driving between midnight and 7 AM. This period of time is when we are naturally the most sleepy.
Don't drive alone. A companion who's awake and can keep you engaged in conversation may help you stay awake.
Schedule frequent breaks on long road trips.
Don't drink alcohol.
Don't count on caffeine. Although drinking a cola or coffee might help keep you awake for a short time, it won't overcome excessive sleepiness.

Help Is On The Way

Covidien Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions has created a mobile sleep lab and has launched a program to treat and diagnose truck drivers who suffer from sleep apnea. The unit, built by the health care companies Covidien and Sleep Pointe, was designed to be a treatment solution for truckers with the disorder who are constantly on the road. Covidien and Sleep Pointe believe that accessible treatment to the disorder can prevent some fatalities on the road.

These rolling sleep centers will soon be stationed at truck stops across the U.S. to encourage truckers to receive treatment for sleep apnea. The labs contain treatment facilities and private bedrooms for the truckers.

The sleep centers, designed by Mansfield, Mass.-based Covidien Ltd. and Wichita, Kan.-based Sleep Pointe, are installed in semi-trailers and contain instruments to diagnose and treat people with sleep apnea. The semis will be driven throughout the country to areas truck drivers frequent such as truck stops and distribution centers.

More Information

For truckers, check out this website:

www.layover.com/newbies/checklist/

www.drowsydriving.org

Source: SleepWeb (Marketdata Enterprises, Inc.) research

*page last updated 06/16/2008

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Note: sleepweb.com does NOT provide medical advice or diagnoses. You should always consult your physician first, before

taking any new medications or undergoing any sleep disorder therapy program, or if you are suffering from a medical condition.