[Driver drowsiness--are physicians at a special risk?]

Sleepiness at the wheel is the main cause of approximately a fifth of road traffic accidents. The driver will often feel drowsy before the accident, therefore preventive measures can be taken in order to stay alert.

To estimate sleepiness among sleep deprived drivers and to explore methods they use to stay alert.

We choose three professions at increased risk of sleepiness: physicians working night shifts, night shift nurses and hi-tech workers who work 12 hours or more a day at least twice a week. The subjects answered an anonymous questionnaire concerning past involvement in road accidents or "near misses", known risk factors for road accidents and methods used to fight sleepiness, as well as some demographic data.

A total of 115 drivers (38 physicians, 37 nurses and 40 hi-tech workers) participated in this study. The average age was 36.0 + 7.9 years and 53% males. Thirteen percent had been involved in road accidents as drivers in the last year, 53% of them remember that the accident was due to sleepiness or fatigue. Thirty-seven percent remember at least one occasion of "near accident" due to sleepiness. Driving in the "dangerous" hours was positively associated with "near accidents" (69% vs. 29%, p < 0.001) and in accidents (17% vs. 11% P = NS). Physicians were involved in "near accidents" (p < 0.005) more often. The most frequent methods used to overcome sleepiness were: listening to the radio (86.1%), opening the window (65.2%) and turning on the air conditioning in the car (57.4%).

Driving whilst sleepy is an important contributor to road accidents. It seems that sleep deprived workers and especially physicians working in shifts, are at an increased risk. This issue should receive a higher priority as part of preventive medicine among physicians themselves and their patients.