[Daytime sleepiness and driving behaviour].

Daytime sleepiness is reported by 10-15 % within the general population of industrialised countries. According to federal statistics in Switzerland, only ~1.5 % of motor vehicle crashes are caused by excessive daytime sleepiness, which is in sharp contrast to the scientific literature, indicating a figure of 10 to 30 %. This is most likely related to the difficulty to detect the underlying sleepiness by police officers and their low awareness of this cause in case of car accidents. As a consequence of this massively reduced figure, the real problem is underestimated and countermeasures as well as examinations of drivers at fault are inadequately realised in our country. The risk factors for sleepiness induced accidents are young age, male sex, driving at night or long distances and a number of diseases or sedative drugs. The most prevalent cause of sleepiness related accidents is the behaviourally induced sleep insufficiency syndrome or irregular sleep-wake rhythm in otherwise healthy subjects. Disease related sleepiness which may also cause motor vehicle accidents must be managed by physicians. In the diagnostic work-up sedative drugs, medical causes of sleepiness or tiredness as well as primary sleep-wake disorders must be considered. The most important duty of the treating physician, in addition to correct diagnosis and treatment, is to inform the affected patient of his or her responsibility not to drive while sleepy, about the theoretical legal consequences in case of an accident and about efficient countermeasures such as stopping in a rest area, drinking coffee, and taking a nap. For legal reasons, this information must be written in the patient's notes. Professional drivers suffering from sleep apnoea syndrome or other disorders with excessive daytime sleepiness, or private drivers who have already experienced a sleepiness induced accident, should be referred to a sleep-wake-centre for objective assessment of their sleepiness in the maintenance of wakefulness test or a driving simulator before they continue to drive.