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Review
. 2019 Dec;14(4):469-478.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2019.07.001. Epub 2019 Sep 26.

Sleepiness and Driving: Benefits of Treatment

Catherine A McCall  1 , Nathaniel F Watson  2
Affiliations
Review

Sleepiness and Driving: Benefits of Treatment

Catherine A McCall et al. Sleep Med Clin. 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Drowsy driving is common and causes 21% of fatal crashes. Individuals at risk include young men, shift workers, older adults, and people with chronic short sleep duration, untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and narcolepsy. Untreated OSA is a particular concern in commercial drivers, who are at higher risk for the disorder. Treatment for sleep problems such as sleep extension for chronic short sleep, positive airway pressure (PAP) for OSA, pharmacologic treatments, and drowsy driving countermeasures may reduce the risk of crashes. Implementing screening measures to identify common sleep problems contributing to drowsy driving continues to be of high importance.

Keywords: Drowsy driving; Drowsy driving countermeasures; Sleep deprivation; Sleep disorder treatment; Sleep disorders.

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