ACCIDENTS DUE TO FATIGUE WITHOUT FALLING ASLEEP
We know that, in the USA, over 100.000 road traffic accidents a year are due to fatigue. We also know that after two days of sleeping less then five hours each night, our coordination capacity is equal to when we experience a blood alcohol limit that will see us losing our driver’s licence. If we already know these facts, why don’t have laws regulating fatigued drivers? We do not tolerate workers impaired by alcohol, but we have no legal recourse if the impairment is due to sleep deprivation. Will we soon be asked by police officers to “blink” at a machine to find out how many hours we slept and if we are driving “under the limit”?
One of the major restrictions for law makers is the lack of scientific evidence to demonstrate poor coordination skills when we drive and the relationship with the hours we did not sleep. However, good news is on the way. A scientific study performed by M. Chattington of Manchester Metropolitan University demonstrated that: “…driving a vehicle requires coordination of horizontal eye movements and steering. Recent research has found that even a single night of sleep deprivation can impact a person’s ability to coordinate eye movements with steering.” This study is extremely important because it may allow law makers to start thinking about ways to introduce measurable parameters to regulate people driving under the effects of sleep deprivation.
Did you know that 20 to 30% of truck drivers’ accidents are due to sleep deprivation?
Would you like to know more? One of our Wenatex Sales Consultants, Rachelle from Victoria sent us a fantastic link where you can find excellent information and film in relation to sleep. Here it is and thank you Rachelle!
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20070813/sleep/default.htm
Until tomorrow, be wise and have fun… and watch out for those “sleepwalking” trucks!
