Did you have to report your Sleep Apnea to renew your driver's license?

[Grover64]

In Queensland, Australia the writing is:

"As a Queensland driver licence holder, you are
required to promptly tell the Department of Transport
and Main Roads of any long-term or permanent
medical condition that is likely to adversely affect
your ability to drive safely.
You must tell the department as soon as a condition
develops or if there is a long-term increase to an
existing condition. You cannot wait until you renew
your licence.
When applying for a Queensland driver licence, you
must tell the department of any medical condition
that may adversely affect your ability to drive safely.
You may need a medical certificate confirming your
fitness to drive. Your doctor may also recommend
that your licence be subject to conditions.
If you fail to report your condition, you may receive
a penalty of more than $6000 and be disqualified
from driving."

It does list "sleeping disorders" as one of those conditions but not SA specifically. My interpretation is that my medical condition does not adversely affect my driving because I have treated it. If I didn't treat it then that would be a different matter.

I think it is a bit of a hypocrisy as most people that know they have SA know that because they have been diagnosed and are treating it. There is a dearth of people out there that don't know they have SA, are not treating and are way more dangerous than someone that has SA and is treating it.

I know lawyers can be devious but I look at it like wearing glasses. I don't have poor vision when I wear glasses so if I was wearing glasses in an accident and I could prove it then my vision is not impaired. Like wise if I had an accident and my machine said that I sleep 8 hours the night before and my AHI was 1.3 well my alertness was not impaired by sleep issues.

I am not saying don't report it I am a bit unsure if I will or not but I think the lesson is that you stay compliant and be able to prove that.

Cheers Grover

[Grover64]

Well since my last post I have come across a very good resource for Australians. It is called "Assessing Fitness to Drive" it is available as a pdf download from http://www.austroads.com.au/drivers-vehi...le-drivers
chapter 8 deals with SA here are some interesting excerps . I interpret that if you are treated then you are not a risk. If you are a commercial driver then you need to prove compliance annually.


Studies have shown an increased rate of motor vehicle crashes, of between two and seven times that of control subjects, in those with sleep apnoea. Studies have also demonstrated increased objectively measured sleepiness while driving (electro-encephalography and eye closure measurements) and impaired driving-simulator performance in people with confirmed sleep apnoea. This performance impairment is similar to that seen due to illegal alcohol impairment or sleep deprivation. Drivers with severe sleep disordered breathing (respiratory disturbance index greater than 34) may have a higher rate of crashes than those with a less severe sleep disorder.

8.1.2 Impact of treatment on crash risk

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea with nasal continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) has been shown to reduce daytime sleepiness and reduce the risk of crashes to the same level as controls. CPAP has also been shown to improve driving-simulator performance to the same levels as the control group. When used to treat obstructive sleep apnoea, mandibular advancement splints reduce daytime sleepiness and improve vigilance; however, studies have not been performed to assess whether they reduce motor vehicle crash rates.

Referral and management: People in whom sleep apnoea, chronic excessive sleepiness or another medical sleep disorder is suspected should be referred to a specialist sleep physician for further assessment, investigation with overnight polysomnography and management. Referral to a sleep specialist should also be considered for any person who has unexplained daytime sleepiness while driving, or who has been involved in a motor vehicle crash that may have been caused by sleepiness. Kits for home assessment may be helpful to those in rural and remote areas.

Commercial vehicle drivers: Commercial vehicle drivers who are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and require treatment are required to have annual review by a sleep specialist to ensure that adequate treatment is maintained. For drivers who are treated with CPAP, it is recommended that they should use CPAP machines with a usage meter to allow objective assessment and recording of treatment compliance. Assessment of sleepiness should be made and an objective measurement of sleepiness should be considered (maintenance of wakefulness test or multiple sleep latency test), particularly if there is concern regarding persisting sleepiness or treatment compliance.

[Ockrocket]

NSW here also.

I did not tick the sleep apnea box as I have been using CPAP daily for 20 years and would not get behind the wheel otherwise.

So it will never factor into an accident.

I can understand declaring diabetes and mild epilepsy as you could have a turn while the car is in motion.

I'd be more worried about an insurance company using the non declaration as an excuse to not pay up more so than whether you think it will figure in an accident you have or not.

With what 'm going through in trying to get cleared to drive I'm thinking sleep apnoea is a medical scam to make medical people money, rather than it being a major medical issue for people.

In saying that, I think the demarcation line is set to low.

Yes, severe apnoea can be a health risk, but low to mild apnoea? .... I don't think it is the big issue it is made out to be.

My accident was caused by getting 5 hours or less per night of sleep, consistently over the last ten years.
By making sure I upped my sleep hours to 8 per night my fatigue level dropped immensely.

Then after no cardio or neuro cause could be found as an issue for me it was decided I should see a respiratory specialist, even though my fatigue levels had dropped.

By the time I'm done and cleared, with the cost of specialists/CPAP machine/lawyers and the like, I'm going to be around $7,000 out of pocket... all that in spite of the fact that getting eight hours sleep a night had cured my fatigue problem.
On top of that, there is no guarantee I will get my commercial driving licence back, so I will become unemployed (62 years old and no other qualifications other than my HC licence endorsement and driving skill), lose my house (still owe over $200k on it)... and my marriage is falling apart due to the stress issues of it all.
A massive impact for what is deemed low level mild sleep apnoea I think.

You won't convince me that part of it is not just a money scam by the parts of the industry involved in the sleep apnoea trade.

I know dozens of people who have snored all their lives (so must have apnoea according to medical specialists), but they have lived long healthy lives well in to their eighties and beyond... I work in aged care with these people every week.

The apnoea issue may need to be dealt with medically at some level.... but to go to the extreme in dealing with it when it is only a mild issue is like amputating your foot because you have a hangnail.

[Dafod]

Funny thing is the Dr that wrote my sleep report said I had an AHI of 16 but wrote a very ambigious report which didn't necessarily recommend treating the apnea. So, according to the esteemed Dr I don't have any and its only an excess of caution I have religiously used a CPAP machine since diagnosis - no reporting required.