Clinical definition of Sleep Apnea states that “is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.” Sleep apnea known as two types, the central sleep apnea is as a result of brain failing to send the appropriate signals to respiratory breathing muscles while the other type known as obstructive sleep apnea hampers the flow of air inside or out the patient’s nose or mouth making efforts to breathe complicated.
Given the fact that the though obstructive sleep apnea does not cause intoxication but has can cause all the symptoms of a hampered physical movement, brain body correlation, suffocating effect, and all the threats of meeting a fatal road accident, driving with obstructive sleep apnea is just like driving under the influence.
Knowing that driving comprises of major skillful activities such as eye-hand coordination, speed judgment, accuracy, etc., the driver gets involved in a high level of activity. Ask a medical expert and he may define obstructive sleep apnea in simple words as the shutting down of the brain. It will be even worse to know that the patient can fall asleep any time and falling asleep during driving is no exception.
Therefore, the fact that driving with obstructive sleep apnea is just like driving under the influence is supported by medical experts and they even won’t deny that an individual suffering from obstructive sleep apnea can perform worse than a drunken driver.
A more in-depth study will prompt that DUI of alcohol or intoxication can forcefully undergo breathalyzer tests but so is not the case in case of driving with obstructive sleep apnea and the driver even won’t know his driving was unsafe. Therefore, obstructive sleep apnea sufferer when drives, imposes three to seven times chances of meeting an accident thus risking lives of self and others.
An OSA sufferer will have to understand that driving with obstructive sleep apnea is just like driving under the influence, rather even more than that.