Driver Fatigue & Sleep Apnea

Fatigue slows reaction time and judgment much like alcohol does, and drowsy drivers can fall asleep for a few seconds without knowing it. At highway speed, a few seconds is the length of a football field. Long hours, irregular schedules and sleep disorders put truck drivers at high risk.

• Truck drivers
• Bus drivers
• All drivers

Warning signs

• Yawning, heavy eyelids, frequent blinking
• Drifting in the lane or hitting the rumble strip
• Missing exits or signs, or not remembering the last few miles
• Head nodding, trouble keeping your head up
• Restlessness, irritability or daydreaming

If you notice any of these, find a safe place to stop. Opening the window or turning up the radio doesn’t fix fatigue.

Your body clock

Everyone has natural low points in alertness, usually between about 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and again in the early afternoon. Crashes involving drowsiness spike at these times. Plan breaks and naps around them when you can.

Sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea makes breathing stop and start many times a night, so you wake up tired even after a full night in bed. It’s common among truck drivers.

• Signs: loud snoring, gasping or choking at night (often noticed by a partner), morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, high blood pressure.
• Risk factors: being overweight, a large neck size, age, smoking and alcohol.
• Treatment: usually a CPAP machine, which works well when used every night. Drivers who use treatment as prescribed can usually keep their medical card. See DOT Physicals.

Fighting fatigue

• Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Use the sleeper berth for real sleep: dark, quiet and cool.
• Take a 20 to 30 minute nap when drowsy; it can restore alertness.
• Use caffeine strategically, but don’t rely on it; it wears off and doesn’t replace sleep.
• Eat lighter meals and stay hydrated. Heavy meals make you sleepy.
• Check medicines (including allergy and cold medicine) for drowsiness warnings.
• Get out and walk around during breaks.

Your rights

Federal rules say a driver may not drive while so impaired by fatigue or illness that it’s unsafe, and a carrier may not require it. Drivers are protected from retaliation for refusing to drive when too fatigued or ill to drive safely. See Hours of Service and Whistleblower Protection.

Last updated: October 1, 2026