Portable oxygen to help prevent fatal crashes?
Motorists may wish to
buy oxygen in an attempt to keep them alert at the wheel as mild sleep apnoea has been blamed for a tragic accident in the US.
Government investigators claimed Donald Creed was unable to recognise the danger and avoid a collision that resulted in the deaths of ten people in 2009.
The National Transportation Safety Board stated the 77-year-old was suffering from fatigue when driving a vehicle that hit a line of cars that had come to a halt because of an earlier accident.
It described the collision, which saw a further five people injured in the 44-car pile-up, as one of the worst in Oklahoma history.
Mr Creed's fatigue was blamed on his acute sleep loss and shift schedule at work.
In a recent article for the Great Falls Tribune, Dan Gold noted portable oxygen is often used by sufferers of sleep apnoea to ensure they gain a good night's rest.
Posted by Stewart Elliott
29/09/2010 12:08:46
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