Need for new apnea driver policy
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Need for new apnea driver policy

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Posted by Captin Cannuck on July 13, 2008 at 17:31:09:

I have a friend who is a truck driver. He is sure that he has sleep apnea. His wife witnesses him stopping breathing at night. He is obese. This guy wants to seek treatment, but cannot do so. His understanding is that if he did, the doctor would send word to the department of transportation that he has sleep apnea and he would then lose his truck driving licence. This would result in loss of his job and serious problems for his family. This fellow is living in Nova Scotia, Canada. I don't know whether or not other jurisdictions have similar rules, but I think they do.

Okay, I understand that the state wants people to be safe behind the wheel, thus epileptics, and people with certain disorders cannot drive for safety reasons. At the same time, I think that the current policy is bad because commercial drivers have to hide their apnea, and as a result , some are going WITHOUT TREATMENT, making their driving even MORE DANGEROUS. I think that one of the goals of the apnea community should be to persuade gov't to have a kind of amnesty for drivers who want to be treated for apnea and continue driving. I think it would be in everybody's best interest.

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