Should bus drivers be tested for OSA??

[elessadil]

There was a horrible accident this morning during rush hour in the west end of Ottawa. A double decker bus smoked a train and 6 people including the bus driver are dead. Thankfully the bus hit the train and not the other way around. That could have resulted in even more fatalities/injuries. Total of 103 passengers on the bus, 31 taken to hospital, 11 of them in critical condition. Witnesses said the bus went right through warning symbols including a lowered barrier at the train crossing even though passengers were yelling at him to stop. By the time he hit his brakes, according to witnesses on the bus, it was too late!! He was travelling fast...along that stretch of the transit way, which is for buses only, the speed limit is 55 mph. No one on the train was injured although it did derail further down the track.

Because he hit the brakes doesn't sound like he had a heart attack or anything like that. From what passengers said doesn't sound like mechanical or brake failure either. Hopefully he wasn't texting or talking on the phone. Is it possible that he had sleep apnea and feel asleep at the wheel? We may never know since the driver is dead. Will it be possible to perform an autopsy on the body to rule out heart attack or stroke or some other medical condition? If they are able to do so and rule out those out then what? I don't think sleep apnea will show up in an autopsy??

This begs the question should bus drivers, like truck drivers, be tested for sleep apnea?? They hold the lives of many people in their hands every day. Buses can carry upwards of 55-60 passengers at any given time and double deckers can carry upwards of 80. Many bus drivers are obese, an unfortunate side effect of sitting all day driving, which we know can be a contributing factor in sleep apnea.

It is too soon to say exactly what caused this terrible accident, but even if it turns out that it was caused by mechanical failure or the driver texting or talking on the phone or some other as yet unknown reason,the question of whether or not bus drivers should be tested for sleep apnea is still a valid one and should be given serious consideration. Other tragic accidents like this one could be avoided. Perhaps a trial should be initiated and a certain random percentage of drivers should be tested and based on those results then a determination should be made as to whether or not this is a policy that should be implemented.



Here are some pictures of the accident:

[ironhands]

OSA, no. EDS, yes.

OSA can lead to EDS, but many other things can as well. Narcolepsy, for one... But we don't know if this was a mechanical issue with the bus, a concentration issue with the driver(Was he on the phone?), or a medical issue like a seizure. The blinking lights and bells from the crossing could have triggered a minor seizure perhaps, as could many other issues.

Hell, even a minor gluten intolerance can mess with daytime concentration and sleepiness.

Nobody's really sure what happened in this incident yet, other than the driver had ample time to stop.

[Ford Guy]

I would be surprised if that is not taken in account when they get or renew their license.

[StuUnderPressure]

This begs the question should bus drivers, like truck drivers, be tested for sleep apnea??

Absolutely YES ! ! !

[ironhands]

I would be surprised if that is not taken in account when they get or renew their license.

certain medical conditions are. Epilepsy/neurological and heart issues mainly. Varies by location and union.

[woodworkerjunkie]

Anyone who has a drivers license and drives on public roads should be tested for sleep apnea. I have actually passed people and saw their eyes closed and head bobbing, so I usually give them a toot of the horn. Everyone seems to think it is only trucks and buses that can cause horrific accidents that kill a lot of people. A single car can and has killed just as many people in an accident as a truck or bus.

There are way to many distractions while people are driving any more, and not paying attention. Don't be the first to start criticizing truck drivers or bus drivers, cause I would not be afraid to say that 999 out of every 1000 people on this board that drives has done at least one of the following while behind the wheel.

Texting, talking on cell phones, reading papers, looking at a map, typing on a computer setting in the passenger seat, eating, drinking (water, tea, soda), changing the radio station, changing clothes, shaving, putting on makeup, and yes even having sex while driving down the interstate. Everyone of these is considered distracted driving. I see it everyday on the highways, people swerving all over the road (tired, drunk or distracted). I've actually been side swiped by a driver dosing at the wheel, luckily he only busted my mirror and left a minor scratch on the fender. Just be careful while on the road, pay attention because the life you save may be your own!

[Goofproof]

NO!, Choosing one group of people to be mass checked for something (Forced) by the government is wrong! News sources are poor at getting facts correct. Give the driver a break, he may have just been drunk. I think in the U.S., they are supposed to stop at RR crossings period.

[ironhands]

Anyone who has a drivers license and drives on public roads should be tested for sleep apnea. I have actually passed people and saw their eyes closed and head bobbing, so I usually give them a toot of the horn.

But that isn't necessarily apnea. They could have been driving too long, experiencing highway hypnosis, or have one of a dozen other sleep/wake disorders that can contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness. Apnea is only a fraction of the potential causes for falling asleep at the wheel, hell, it could even be a leak in the exhaust pipe causing carbon monoxide to build up.