Sleep need truck drivers

Finally, sleep disorders per se can have the same outcome on operator performance as sleep loss or alcohol intoxication. It does not make sense that commercial truck drivers must be screened for arterial hypertension but not for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The need for general screening of commercial and public operators for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is highlighted by the fatal train accident in Clarkston, Michigan on November 15, 2001, in which the engineer s untreated and conductor s insufficiently treated sleep apnea were determined as the probable primary cause of the accident. 

Even though, in many cases, the shift work of a commercial driver does not allow for a regular sleep pattern, drivers can still learn from the above suggestions in improving the quality of sleep that they do receive. Whether in a sleeper berth, a motel room, or home in their own beds, truck drivers need to focus on how to get the most out of their rest to be alert and healthy for a day (or night) behind the wheel. 

No matter how many years you ve been a truck driver, or how many miles you ve logged, you re not a machine. You re human, and you need sleep. You ve made it through enough tough spots to know that it requires a clear mind and a steady hand to control your vehicle. So, when you consider going just a little farther before you rest, is it really worth it ... 

AAdien your driver has been on the road a while, and begins to feel fatigued, he or she needs to remember this No matter how many years truck driving experience, or how many miles have been logged, a driver is not a machine It s an undeniable fact that humans need sleep. 

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