THE SLEEPY DRIVER

INTERVIEWS ARE REPORTED WITH 100 PATIENTS WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN THE CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF NARCOLEPSY AND WHO DROVE AUTOMOBILES. TWO OF THESE 100 DRIVERS DENIED ANY PROBLEM RELATING TO SLEEPINESS OR INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALERTNESS WHILE DRIVING. OF THE REMAINING 98 PATIENTS, 14 REPORTED THAT THEY HAD SUSTAINED 1 TO 6 AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF FALLING ASLEEP OR BECOMING SLEEPY. SEVENTEEN OTHER PATIENTS SAID THAT THEY HAD COME "VERY CLOSE" TO HAVING SERIOUS ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF FALLING ASLEEP. OF THE REMAINING 67 PATIENTS, ALL ACKNOWLEDGED A PROBLEM SUFFICIENTLY GRAVE TO WARRANT REGARDING THEM AS UNSAFE DRIVERS. THE NORMAL SLEEP PATTERN AND ITS VARIATIONS ARE OUTLINED. SOME CASES ARE DESCRIBED. THE SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF NARCOLEPSY IS DISCUSSED.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 13, No 4, PP 6-10, 3 FIG, 9 REF
• Authors:
  • Yoss, R E
  • Daly, D D
• Publication Date: 1969-5

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Police
  • Publisher: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Interviewing; Narcolepsy; Sleep
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223095
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 19 1971 12:00AM