Study: Sleep Apnea Leads to High Risk of Truck Crashes

A recent University of Minnesota study shows that truck drivers with untreated sleep apnea are five times more likely to be involved in a serious accident than drivers with the condition who receive treatment. The study appeared in the journal Sleep on March 21, 2016.

The research included more than 1,600 U.S. truck drivers with obstructive sleep apnea and a control group with an equal number of drivers without the condition. Those with sleep apnea were prescribed CPAP, a treatment that keeps the airways open during sleep. The rate of serious, preventable crashes was five times higher among truckers with sleep apnea who didn’t use their CPAP machine, compared to the control group. The crash rate among drivers with sleep apnea who always or sometimes used their CPAP machine was similar to that of the control group.

CBS NEWS: High crash risk in truck drivers who don’t treat this condition