25 per cent of drivers fall asleep at the wheel

Energy Sunday 07/October/2018 20:47 PM
By: Times News Service
25 per cent of drivers fall asleep at the wheel

Muscat: Over a quarter of Omani motorists who took part in a government university survey admitted to nodding off behind the wheel.
Some 124 of 492 drivers surveyed admitted they had fallen asleep while driving, according to research conducted by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).
The study, “Daytime Sleepiness Among Young Adult Omani Drivers”, asked non-commercial Omani drivers about their sleeping and driving habits. As many as 124 of them reported experiencing daytime sleepiness behind the wheel at least once a month.
The research was undertaken as part of the study and showed significant links between those who slept less than six hours a night and sleepiness while on the road.
“Sleepiness and fatigue play significant roles in exacerbating the occurrence of car crashes. The study found that there was a significant association between nocturnal sleep duration of less than six hours and sleepiness while driving,” an extract from the research said.
The respondents included an almost equal number of men and women. However, the study found that men were more likely to report daytime sleepiness.
“A total of 492 drivers agreed to participate in the study (response rate: 82 per cent). Of these, 248 of them were male and 244 were female. Male drivers reported significantly greater daytime sleepiness, compared to females (33.5 versus 18 per cent). However, no gender difference was noted in terms of nocturnal sleep duration,” the study added. Moreover, the average age of the male drivers in the study was 30 years, while for women it was 32.5 years.
Sleep deprivation
The study concluded by saying, “Sleepiness while driving was common among young male drivers in Oman and might be due to nocturnal sleep deprivation. Further studies are needed so that preventative measures can be developed.”
The cross-sectional study took place at the SQU Hospital and the study was released recently.
Road safety expert Eng. Ali Ahmed Al Barwani told the Times of Oman, “The figure quoted in the study is quite high and, of course, from a road safety point of view, this is very serious. We consider sleepiness and fatigue to be among the four killers. The others are speeding, using mobiles while driving, and not wearing a seat belt.
“This figure shows that the issue is very serious and we need to take measures to counter it. Road safety experts rely on awareness and our message to drivers is to watch for signs of sleepiness and fatigue. If a driver experiences these signs, we advise him/her to stop immediately, take a nap, and refrain from driving,” said Al Barwani.
“With fatigue, accidents can happen in a matter of seconds. Just imagine someone closing their eyes while driving. They could quickly lose control. Someone falling asleep behind the wheel is even more dangerous,” said Al Barwani.
Researchers used the Berlin Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) among participants. The study was conducted to determine the proportion of young Omani adults who experience daytime sleepiness while driving and to investigate the links between gender, daytime sleepiness, and the risk of obtrusive sleep apnoea syndrome.
Insufficient sleep to blame?
Anuya Phule, a psychotherapist at Hatat Polyclinic, said the high number of drivers suffering from daytime sleepiness was because of a lack of sufficient sleep.
“Lifestyles have changed so much that people go to sleep very late at night and then wake up in the morning,” she told Times of Oman. “This is very bad for the brain, because for the brain, going to sleep is just like putting a car in the garage for servicing. That is when the brain sifts through all the thoughts that you have had during the day and throws away anything it does not need.”
“Many people don’t understand the importance of this,” added Phule. “In addition, many of the patients I see, suffer from insomnia because their thoughts are constantly running and this only adds to their fatigue. Their brain is so focused on these thoughts that they are unable to switch off, and over time, this affects people’s para-sympathetic nervous systems.”
People who drive cars to work blamed long commutes and workload for fatigue and sleepiness behind the wheel.
“Sleepiness is due to fatigue, frequent work, lack of sleep, and insufficient rest periods. Usually, that happens when the employee’s workplace is far away from his/her home and if he/she has other appointment in the evening. He/she has to wait in the office because there is not enough time to return home and take a break so he/she will not take enough time to rest,” said Anas Al Dheeb, a local resident.
Al Dheeb added: “I experience sleepiness behind the wheel once or twice a week. It happens when I have a lot of projects to finish. When I feel tired and need to sleep, I stop at the side of the road and sleep for a few minutes and then get back to driving, because sleepiness is very dangerous and causes many accidents.”
Abdulminem Abdullah, who drives to work, said: “I feel sleepy when I am on a long road trip for more than eight hours. It gets boring,” he added. “Sometimes I open the windows and sing to keep myself awake.”