Link directly to Sign the Petition is epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/5851
A MUM is campaigning to raise awareness of a sleep disorder after her son was seriously injured and his fiancée was killed in a crash where the driver at fault had the condition.
Carole Upcraft has launched an e-petition calling for the government to pressure lorry drivers to have tests for sleep apnoea, which causes daytime sleepiness and fatigue.
Her son Daniel, 32, suffered brain damage and his fiancée Nicola Culshaw, 33, was killed when their car was hit by a lorry while queuing for the Dartford tunnel on the M25 in April last year.
The lorry driver, 40-year-old David Thomas from Upminster, was initially charged with causing death by dangerous driving, but the case was dropped when it was discovered he had undiagnosed sleep apnoea.
Library supervisor Mrs Upcraft, of Knoll Rise, Orpington, said: “There is no point in being vengeful here. We just need to find a positive out of what happened.
"We do not want another family to go through what we have gone through.
“Research shows that 41 per cent of HGV drivers have a sleep disorder of one kind or another, but most of them won’t be aware of it.”
Mr Upcraft and Miss Culshaw, who taught chemistry at Sydenham High School, lived together in Cowper Road, Bromley, and were due to get married three months after the crash.
Communications engineer Mr Upcraft was in hospital for 10 months after the crash, and has short term memory problems as a result of the brain damage he suffered.
Mum-of-three Mrs Upcraft, 55, said: “He was in post traumatic amnesia for 10 weeks after the crash. We had to keep telling him that Nicola had died because he would not take it in. It was heartbreaking.
“The loss of Nicola has left a massive gap in his life and ours too. We want to raise awareness of sleep apnoea so Nicola has not gone for nothing.”
To sign the petition, which needs 100,000 signatures to be considered by the government, go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/5851
Tags:
Can I sign it?
Following the outbreaks of criminality on the streets of London and other English cities, the e-petition to withdraw social benefits from wrong-doers has reached its 100,000 target in a very short time, and so it should. A petition to raise awareness of Sleep Apnoea and the HGV Driver so it can be debated in Parliament is going to be much more difficult to fulfill.
This lady is to be praised for her initiative, nonetheless, and I am sure anyone with a contact of any sort in the transport industry, or having experience of OSA, will feel duty-bound to help.
The Government's e-petition can only be signed by UK citizens, unfortunately, Rock.
The e-petition has, so far, that's Monday, 22nd August, attracted 481 signatures. Still some way to go, but not a bad start at all.
If you've not already signed it, you can find the petition on Page 6 of the petition form. And there are some whacky petitions to go for! 'No state funeral for Mrs Thatcher' (er, she's not dead yet) and 'increase the recommended minimum size for rabbit hutches'. 'No state benefits for more than one child.' Most bizarre!
nevermind...I'm American. I tried to sign it, but couldn't...best of luck. My business is sleep apnea testing, screening and implementation (not an ad) of people in the transportation business so naturally I feel very strongly about what I just read. I am trying to increase awareness in these forums. Best of luck, once again.
Ben Enlow said:
How do I sign the e-petition?
Thanks for being willing Ben, but unfortunately only people in the UK can sign it. We have a member on here called Richard Munday, who has posted on this thread, and he's set up a charity over here to raise awareness etc., for truck drivers here, so you might want to talk to him. We have the similar issues you have, only here you are not allowed to drive if you have untreated sleep apnoea, so that's some progress! Good luck on your side of the pond.
Ben Enlow said:
nevermind...I'm American. I tried to sign it, but couldn't...best of luck. My business is sleep apnea testing, screening and implementation (not an ad) of people in the transportation business so naturally I feel very strongly about what I just read. I am trying to increase awareness in these forums. Best of luck, once again.
Ben Enlow said:How do I sign the e-petition?
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