The conductor of the Metro-North train from Poughkeepsie to
New York City that derailed in December 2013 reportedly suffered from sleep apnea, according
to an investigation into the accident by the National Transportation Safety
Board.
The early morning wreck occurred after the train moved too
quickly around a sharp curve on the Hudson Line just outside Spuyten Duyvil station
in The Bronx. It left four people dead
and dozens more injured.
The conductor, William Rockefeller, was a 20-year public
transportation veteran and reportedly took several appropriate procedural
safety precautions prior to leaving Poughkeepsie, including turning off his
cell phone and conducting a safety meeting with the train's assistant
conductor.
However Rockefeller also told investigators that he
experienced something like a blackout while he was working, and only blinked
back to consciousness after he sensed that something had gone very wrong with
his train.
It was only after the accident that doctors and
investigators concluded that he suffered from previously-undiagnosed sleep
apnea, or the condition that causes sufferers to awaken up to hundreds of times
during the night because of obstructed breathing.
Despite the fact that sleep apnea affects millions of
Americans, its symptoms can be difficult to recognize. Sleep apnea symptoms include:
·
Loud snoring
·
Daytime sleepiness
·
Insomnia
·
Fatigue
·
Shortness of Breath
Do you currently suffer from sleep apnea and seek new treatment
options, or do you simply want to learn more about this diagnosis? If so,
please contact a qualified
sleep physician in your area or call (866) 727-6275.