PRINTER'S NO. 3273

        INTRODUCED BY BUTKOVITZ, FEBRUARY 11, 2002

        INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
           FEBRUARY 11, 2002

                                  A RESOLUTION

     1  Designating the week of April 7 through 14, 2002, as
     2     "Pennsylvania Sleep Awareness Week."

     3     WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is proud to join Awake In Philly
     4  Community Education Group as it organizes the second annual
     5  "Pennsylvania Sleep Awareness Week," April 7 through 14, 2002;
     6  and
     7     WHEREAS, Numerous studies have concluded that the general
     8  public, policymakers and primary care physicians lack basic
     9  knowledge about sleep, which compromises the health and safety
    10  of everyone; and
    11     WHEREAS, Medical students receive on average two hours of
    12  instruction in basic sleep science covering more than 80
    13  classified sleep disorders, including sleep deprivation; and
    14     WHEREAS, Sleepiness as a result of untreated and undiagnosed
    15  sleep disorders has been identified as the cause of a growing
    16  number of on-the-job accidents; and
    17     WHEREAS, At least 25 million Americans have nontraditional

     1  work schedules conflicting with their biological clocks, and an
     2  estimated 36 million Americans believe sleeplessness negatively
     3  affects their performance at work; and
     4     WHEREAS, Fatigue was officially cited as a contributing
     5  factor in the Three Mile Island nuclear incident, the grounding
     6  of the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound and the Challenger
     7  Space Shuttle disaster, among other industrial disasters; and
     8     WHEREAS, Recent studies show that 18 hours of wakefulness is
     9  equivalent to having a blood alcohol concentration of .05%; and
    10     WHEREAS, Someone who has been awake for 24 hours would have
    11  the equivalent of a .10% blood alcohol concentration, the
    12  Pennsylvania limit for drivers 21 years of age or older, thus
    13  making driving while drowsy equivalent to driving while drunk;
    14  and
    15     WHEREAS, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    16  conservatively estimates that 100,000 motor vehicle crashes are
    17  caused by drowsy drivers each year, resulting in more than 1,500
    18  fatalities and 71,000 injuries; and
    19     WHEREAS, Studies demonstrate that one-third of all Americans
    20  have dozed while driving; and
    21     WHEREAS, Department of Transportation statistics demonstrate
    22  that drowsy drivers where responsible for 2,409 accidents in
    23  this Commonwealth during 1998, resulting in 22 fatal crashes;
    24  and
    25     WHEREAS, On average, there were about 16 traffic accidents
    26  each hour in 1998, resulting in 367 people being injured each
    27  day; and
    28     WHEREAS, The Department of Transportation estimates that the
    29  1997 economic loss due to traffic accidents was $987 to every
    30  man, woman and child in this Commonwealth; and
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     1     WHEREAS, Awake In Philly seeks to begin a dialogue with
     2  lawmakers concerning sleep medicine, driving and accidents,
     3  workplace rules and health insurance coverage for sleep
     4  disorders; and
     5     WHEREAS, The societal and economic costs of untreated and
     6  undiagnosed sleep disorders and chronic sleepiness are
     7  devastating: sleep deprivation and untreated sleep disorders are
     8  estimated to cost Americans more than $100 billion annually in
     9  lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave and property and
    10  environmental damage; and
    11     WHEREAS, Organizers of 2002 "Pennsylvania Sleep Awareness
    12  Week" recognize that education is the foundation of civilized
    13  societies and they are committed to educating business,
    14  government and the public, creating an awareness of the impact
    15  of untreated and undiagnosed sleep disorders; and
    16     WHEREAS, During 2002 "Pennsylvania Sleep Awareness Week,"
    17  Awake In Philly and other organizations will be sharing
    18  information at events in malls and other locations throughout
    19  this Commonwealth; therefore be it
    20     RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
    21  week of April 7 through 14, 2002, as "Pennsylvania Sleep
    22  Awareness Week."






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