Traffic accidents in commercial long-haul truck drivers: the influence of sleep-disordered breathing and obesity.
This study assesses a possible independent effect of sleep-related breathing disorders on traffic accidents in long-haul commercial truck drivers. The study design included integrated analysis of recordings of sleep-related breathing disorders, self-reported automotive and company-recorded automotive accidents. A cross-sectional population of 90 commercial long-haul truck drivers 20-64 years of age was studied. Main outcome measures included presence or absence, as well as severity, of sleep-disordered breathing and frequency of automotive accidents. Truck drivers identified with sleep-disordered breathing had a two-fold higher accident rate per mile than drivers without sleep-disordered breathing. Accident frequency was not dependent on the severity of the sleep-related breathing disorder. Obese drivers with a body mass > or = 30 kg/m2 also presented a two-fold higher accident rate than nonobese drivers. We conclude that a complaint of excessive daytime sleepiness is related to a significantly higher automotive accident rate in long-haul commercial truck drivers. Sleep-disordered breathing with hypoxemia and obesity are risk factors for automotive accidents.
Stanford University Medical School, Sleep Disorders and Research Center, California.
R A
RA
Stoohs
C
C
Guilleminault
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A
Itoi
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WC
Dement
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009790:Occupations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires