Car Accidents Caused by Sleep Apnea
People with sleep apnea, an often undiagnosed breathing disorder, are three to five times more likely to be in a severe car crash involving injury, according to researchers in British Columbia. As Orlando car accident lawyers, we must always determine if another driver’s medical condition may have contributed to a car accident. This interesting study found that sufferers of sleep apnea, a condition where the airway collapses during sleep, were at double the risk of being in a car accident.
Importantly, the study also found that a lot of sleepiness-related crashes tend to be more severe. Typically, these car accidents involve a driver asleep at the wheel who hits a tree or crosses the median and hits another car head-on. Such car accidents often prove deadly.
Even if a driver does not fall asleep at the wheel, it has been shown that patients with sleep apnea or sleep deprivation have reduced motor function. It affects coordination, dis-tractability or vigilance. While car accidents will occur, they are more likely when a driver is operating his car at less than full capacity. In addition to alcohol, drugs or prescription medications, sleep apnea is a serious contributing factor in a number of car accidents. Sadly, it is believed that sleep apnea is a condition that is often undiagnosed or ignored.
