photo via MSNBC
This trucker uses a machines to help him breathe better during sleep.

Sleep scientists at Harvard University say research indicates that there is a strong link between overweight truck drivers and sleep apnea, a disorder that causes a person’s airways to collapse several times a night.  People who suffer from sleep apnea wake up repeatedly throughout the night and as a result, they are never fully rested and their bodies are continually deprived of oxygen.   The disorder can lead to a wide range of other health problems including diabetes and prompt symptoms such as daytime sleepiness and fatigue.  Simply put, that excess weight you’re carrying may cause you to inadvertently doze off.

Just a few seconds of nodding off behind-the-wheel is more than enough time to cause a potentially fatal crash.  Subsequently, the push for federal rules that require mandatory testing of obese drivers is gaining traction.  Experts say screening drivers could help prevent fatal truck crashes – it’s estimated that 20% of all truck accidents are caused by drowsy drivers and sleep apnea increases the risk of a trucker being in an accident two to seven times.

For more than a year now, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been considering new rules that would indeed require screening for truckers whose body mass index is more than 30.  Also, a growing number of truck driving companies, large and small, are voluntarily screening drivers for sleep apnea at their own expense.

When you know the health risks posed by obesity and the dangers of drowsy driving, do you think the government should require health screenings for overweight truckers?  Do you think truck driving companies should offer employees treatment for life-threatening conditions that could impact their ability to work?