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Truck Accidents

When a Louisiana Truck Accident Claim Results from Distracted Driving

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Truck Accidents

Louisiana Truck Accident Attorney Explains How Driver Distractions can Warrant a Claim (Part B)

How Many Louisiana Large Truck Crashes Resulted From Sleep Apnea?

This question has been on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) agenda since last year, and is unlikely to go away. Sleep apnea is widespread among Louisiana truck drivers and one major source of driver fatigue.

What is sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disturbance in which breathing is reduced or paused during sleep. OSA occurs when a person regularly stops breathing during 10 seconds or more, or takes 25 percent less breath than normal during the same period. During sleep, the soft tissue and muscle tone around the respiratory airways relax and obstruct breathing. A person with OSA will come out of the deep level of sleep and, depending on the severity (frequency and duration) of OSA, will suffer from chronic daytime fatigue, slow reactions, headaches, concentration problems and more.

What does sleep apnea have to do with truck driving?

OSA, the most common type of sleep-disordered breathing, is more prevalent among men, increases with age and is frequently diagnosed in people who are overweight and lack exercise. Sleep apnea has become a major concern among truck drivers and large truck safety officials because, as is well known:

Truck drivers have little to no opportunity to eat healthy food, and put on weight as a consequence;
They do not enjoy the sleep and rest comforts of home, and are often required to work long hours with irregular rest periods;
18-Wheeler crashes caused by drowsy truck drivers can have devastating effects, injuring or killing mostly the occupants of other vehicles.

What can be done about sleep apnea?

A soft approach, applicable to most cases, would be lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, exercising and a healthy diet. A more radical approach is to use a continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP), which is a respiratory mask the patient puts on when going to sleep. The system works very well, is relatively cheap and has rapid positive results: the patient is rested, has more energy and develops better mental abilities than before. There are a few inconveniences, but they do not outweigh the efficiency of the treatment.

If you have been involved in a truck accident, contact the truck accident attorneys of the Young Firm in New Orleans immediately for a free, no commitment evaluation of your case.