Sleep apnoea has a significant impact on road safety and is recognised as one of the risk factors in road traffic. People suffering from this condition often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, even after a seemingly restful night’s sleep. In practice, this means that sleep apnoea and driving This poses a real danger to the driver and other road users.

Patients may experience so-called ‘microsleep’ – short, uncontrolled episodes of falling asleep – which are particularly dangerous whilst driving. There is also a slowing of reaction times, reduced concentration and a poorer ability to assess the situation on the road. As a result, the risk of accidents increases significantly, especially on long journeys or when driving at night.

Treatment for sleep apnoea, for example using CPAP therapy, can significantly improve alertness and reduce the risk of road traffic accidents. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment are also of crucial importance in terms of safety.