RAC research into obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome


Organisation: RAC
Date uploaded: 17th June 2016
Date published/launched: June 2016


Eight out of 10 businesses that run vehicle fleets say they would benefit from greater awareness of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), a condition that affects about 10% of the driving population.

This is one of the headline findings from research carried out by RAC Business and the OSA Partnership Group, which shows that 57% of businesses have very little awareness of the condition and the importance of detecting and treating OSAS among their drivers.

OSA is the most common type of sleep apnea, a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or instances of shallow breathing during sleep, which is particularly common among middle-aged men.

Studies show that a driver with untreated OSAS could be up to nine times more likely to have an accident.

Despite treatment being available on the NHS, the RAC suggests a significant number of sufferers remain undiagnosed due to concerns over losing their driving licence and livelihood. In the RAC survey of more than 500 UK businesses, 80% of respondents agreed that drivers are unlikely to raise concerns about OSAS with their GP, the DVLA or their boss.

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