Sleep deficient people must not drive

Recently I went to a lecture at the Science festival about sleep. It was  given by top doctors in the field.
It was very interesting
The main thing I took away with me was how dangerous  it is for a sleep deprived person to drive.
Testing shows it is as dangerous as someone who is over the allowed blood alcohol level.
Some of the most dangerous amongst us are those with sleep apnoea, whose sleep is continuously interrupted by episodes of apnoea (absent breathing) after runs of loud snoring. Their breathing stops ie they die. This wakes them up with a big start and they breath (and snore) again.
Where this is happening many times a night, sleep is so messed up that they become very sleep deficient. The person himself is unaware.
They don't know they snore, they don't know that they stop breathing and they don't realise when they start breathing again.
But they develop signs of lack of sleep such as bad temper and low mood and daytime sleepiness.
It can mess up their job and their marriage.
Sleep Apnoea (OSAHS - Obstructive Sleep Apoea Hypopnoea Syndrome)
is extremely common. Anywhere between 2-4% of middle aged people have it. It becomes more common with age
Sleep apnoea is easily tested for on the NHS, after referral by a GP to a special sleep centre . It is easily treated on the NHS. The person wears a mask (over nose or mouth or both) at  night which gently blows air. I tried it and it is quiet and quite pleasant.
The treatment is highly effective.
My father died in a car accident. He went to sleep at the wheel.
Now I suspect he had sleep apnoea.
How I wish we had known that before he died.
He might still be here.