How to Reduce Risks Associated with Driver Sleep Disorders 

It’s a nightmare all professional drivers share: The thought of falling asleep behind the wheel, which can lead to tragic consequences. Unfortunately, sleep disorders are alarmingly common. An estimated 70 million Americans have one of the more than 80 sleep disorders—but many of these people haven’t been diagnosed.  

In fact, nearly 1/3 of truck drivers have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause breathing to stop for up to 10 seconds at a time during sleep. Breathing-related sleep disruptions can cause poor sleep, even if people don’t realize they’ve been awakened multiple times during the night. 

The health and safety implications are enormous, even if truckers don’t actually nod off in the cab. Sleep disorders can reduce cognitive functionality, impair driving performance and decrease drivers’ reaction times. 

Fleets looking to improve drivers’ quality of life, decrease accident rates, retain employees and protect their bottom lines can implement sleep disorder management plans (SDMPs) and fatigue management technologies (FMTs) to identify and correct sleep disorders. 

This might sound like a lot of extra work, but taking these steps can seriously pay off.  

In 2006, Schneider National implemented an OSA program requiring all new company drivers to be screened for sleep apnea. The company also covered the cost of diagnosed drivers’ continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines and supplies. 

Schneider saved an average of $550 per driver per month in health-related costs for drivers treated via CPAP and saw a 73% reduction in preventable crashes among drivers treated for OSA.  

A properly developed SDMP obviously yields specific returns on investment — but it can also help commercial carriers avoid massive lawsuits, including nuclear verdicts.  

“I didn’t know my driver had sleep apnea” doesn’t hold up in a court of law. Litigation claims in fatigue-related truck crashes overwhelmingly hold carriers accountable, stating they should know if a driver has sleep apnea based on information from driver medical examination reports and carrier health records. Carriers were often more likely to be found negligent if they didn’t monitor and follow up with drivers with diagnosed OSA or if their FMP programs were incomplete or not implemented. 

TVC Pro-Driver is here to take care of our fleet members, staying on top of current trends and helping managers safeguard their bottom lines. Not sure where to start? TVC can be a helpful resource for you in building or bolstering your safety program. If you’re interested in learning more, email us at sales@prodriver.com.