Sleep Disorders Major Cause Of Car Accidents

Men who habitually snore or have a hidden sleep disorder known as apnea get into three times as many auto accidents as the rest of the population, according to a major study.

And men and women with undiagnosed sleep apnea are seven times more likely to have multiple accidents, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

Alarmingly, the risk exists whether or not the person feels drowsy, said Terry Young, author of the study.

Young said previous studies have shown that about 17 million Americans - 4 percent of women and 9 percent of men - have moderate to severe apnea.However, only 10 percent to 15 percent of those with the disorder have been diagnosed.

Although the link between sleep disorders and accidents has long been suspected, the University of Wisconsin research is the first large-scale random study of the population that shows a connection, Young said.