Danger! Sleepy Drivers

Driver fatigue or sleepiness is a widespread and serious problem worldwide, states a study reported in the Medical Journal of Australia. According to researchers, studies have attributed more than 20% of road accidents to driver sleepiness. The study report in the MJA say: " The typical fall-asleep accident involves a sole driver driving at night or in the early afternoon at relatively high speed. As with other causes of accidents, fall-asleep accidents are more common in men under 30 years. At risk of falling asleep at the wheel are people who suffer from a common sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The journal states that OSA affects about 25% of middle-aged men. People with OSA may be unaware of how close they are to falling asleep when driving.