Abstract
BACKGROUND:The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between obesity, berlin questionnaire (BQ), epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), past history of road traffic accident(RTA) and performance on driving simulator among heavy vehicle drivers.
MATERIAL-METHODS:We examined 282 heavy vehicle drivers admitted for driving simulator test in psychotechnique driver assessment system.The risk of obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)was assessed by BQ and ESS. Computer-based system including tests assessing psychomotor-cognitive skills required for driving was developed by TUBITAK-ODTU and BILTEN. RESULTS:The mean age of the drivers were 45.4±8.8. Thirty drivers were at high risk for OSA with BQ. Median ESS of the group were 2 (0-20). Seventy-two drivers had past history of RTA. 86.9% of the subjects “passed” the simulator test; and 12.4% “failed”. 47%of the subjects at high risk of OSA failed in early reaction time test while 28% of the drivers with low risk of OSA failed(p<0.03). The obese drivers failed the peripheral vision test when compared with BMI<30kg/m2 (p<0.02). ESS was increased in drivers with a past history of RTA when compared with no RTA(p=0.02).
CONCLUSION:Cognitive-psycohomotor functions can be impaired in obese subjects and people with high risk of OSA assessed by BQ.Driving performance is very sensitive to cognitive and psycohomotor impairment.We conclude that a risk assessment procedure for screening based on BMI and OSA risk should be applied during the driving licence application procedure of heavy vehicle drivers.
- © 2014 ERS