Washington – Nearly 11 percent of transportation workers go to work sleepy, compared with 7 percent of the general population, according to a new National Sleep Foundation survey (.pdf file).
The foundation polled nearly 1,100 working adults, of which more than two-thirds were identified as transportation workers. Transportation workers included pilots; train operators; and truck, bus, taxi and limo drivers.
About 20 percent of pilots and train operators and nearly 15 percent of truck drivers who were surveyed admitted that sleepiness had nearly caused a serious incident.
A major reason cited for on-the-job sleepiness was work schedules not allowing time for sleep, with nearly one-half of train operators and more than one-third of pilots citing this as a reason. The foundation recommends that transportation professionals maintain regular sleep schedules to reduce loss of alertness on the job.
