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 In a new position paper, the AASM calls on ridesharing companies,
government officials, medical professionals and law enforcement
officers to address drivers' fatigue as a public safety risk.
"Fatigued driving is common . . . and this is a real opportunity to
work together to address this real safety risk," said Dr. Indira
Gurubhagavatula of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia,
who coauthor the group's statement.
Gurubhagavatula and colleagues on the AASM board of directors
published the statement in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine to
call attention to the growing popularity of ridesharing apps and the
regulatory and safety issues that haven’t yet been addressed.
Many drivers who work in the industry, for instance, often work
other jobs and drive during their "off" time, which can leave few
hours for sleep, the authors point out.
Plus, these drivers typically aren't screened for medical problems
that reduce alertness, such as obstructive sleep apnea. Some
ridesharing companies now require rest periods after extended
driving shifts, but it can be difficult to enforce and doesn’t
sufficiently address driver safety, Gurubhagavatula said.
Between 2005 and 2009, more than 83,000 crashes were related to
drowsy driving, according to the National Highway Safety
Administration. In addition, about 20 percent of crashes point to
driver fatigue as a factor, according to the AAA Foundation.
"As drivers accrue hours of sleep deprivation, their crash risk
escalates," said Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy
and research for AAA. "Missing two hours of sleep can leave drivers
as impaired as drunk driving."
AAA launched a study this year to investigate the "gig economy" (in
which temporary, short-term work assignments are common) and safety,
including the ridesharing industry.
Drivers who feel drowsy should find a safe place to park and take a
20-minute nap, Nelson said.
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"Naps aren't just for babies," he told Reuters Health by phone.
"That 20 minutes could save your life."
Ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft have published safety
recommendations for drivers on their websites and are working with
researchers at the National Sleep Foundation and elsewhere to
research drowsy driving behaviors.
"Fatigue is something that impacts everyone, and if we're going to
make roads safer for all travelers and get to the goal of zero road
deaths, we all have a role to play," Dr. Nadia Anderson, manager of
public policy, road and traffic safety for Uber, told Reuters Health
by email.
The Uber app, for instance, requires drivers to take a six-hour
break for every 12 hours of driving time. Similarly, the Lyft app
requires a six-hour break for every 14 hours the app is in "driver"
mode.
"We also send notifications to drivers reminding them about the
importance of getting enough rest and investigate any reports of
fatigued or unsafe driving and take appropriate actions, which can
include deactivation from the platform," Kate Margolis, a corporate
communications lead for Lyft, told Reuters Health by email.
The AASM would like to see regulations that mandate rest periods,
limit hours of service and encourage drivers with sleep disorders to
receive treatment.
"Many of these ridesharing drivers are struggling to make ends meet
and do this because of economic realities," Gurubhagavatula said.
"We need to create a safe environment where they can make a living
without putting their lives at risk."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2I2FOt6 Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine,
online March 30, 2018.
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