Untreated sleep apnea is a huge risk to public safety. In the past few years, there have been many cases in which truckers, bus drivers, pilots and train engineers with undiagnosed and/or untreated sleep apnea have injured or killed hundreds of passengers.That’s why the federal government - through the Department of Transportation and its agencies - is acting now to create regulations that require transportation workers to test for sleep apnea. Here are some of the regulations:
- Federal Motor Safety Administration Mandate for Drivers: The FMCSA has a pending mandate requiring “at-risk” truckers and bus drivers to test for sleep apnea. They will disqualify those who refuse to test. The courts have sided against the driver.
- Metropolitan Transit Authority and Other Railway Agencies: Four U.S. Senators are urging tighter regulations. The MTA board approved a new program to expand sleep apnea screenings for all employees responsible for moving trains and buses.
- National Transportaion Safety Board Regulating Pilots: The NTSB formed new guidelines in March 2015 to require at-risk pilots to test for sleep apnea. They will disqualify pilots with untreated sleep apnea from flying an airplane.