A test that detects sleep deprivation in drivers has been developed
Researchers have developed a blood test that shows when a driver has been awake for more than 24 hours. The Guardian reports about the test system.Researchers from Monash University in Australia have developed a test that can detect sleep deprivation in drivers. It can be used by trucking companies to prevent tired drivers from working or by traffic police officers similar to blood alcohol and drug tests to hold drivers and companies accountable in case of an accident.
Researchers have identified five biomarkers in the blood that show with 99% accuracy whether a person has slept in the past 24 hours. These substances are produced in different parts of the body, but they are all non-metabolites. This means that the likelihood of changes in the concentration of such biomarkers in the blood as a result of an accident is minimal, the researchers explain.
Researchers are now working to improve the test so that it can determine the number of hours a person has gone without sleep before it passes. Researchers believe that within five years, portable tests can be developed for use right at the scene of an accident.
Alcohol and drug testing in traffic accidents is a common practice in many countries around the world. But studies have shown that driving while sleep-deprived is just as dangerous as driving with excessive blood alcohol, and causes up to 20 percent of all accidents. In a meta-analysis published in Nature and Science of Sleep, scientists showed that people who slept less than five hours were almost twice as likely to crash compared to those who were well rested.
In some countries, professional drivers are required to keep work and rest logs, which police take into account when an accident occurs. But proving that the accident was due to fatigue is difficult. Blood tests can help establish the real cause and reduce the number of accidents, the authors of the development believe.
Sources: Blood test for sleepy drivers could pave way for prosecutions | Medical research | The Guardian, How Tired is Too Tired to Drive? A Systematic Review Assessing the Use of Prior Sleep Duration to Detect Driving Impairment - PubMed (nih.gov)