The incident on the hard shoulder has prompted me to write this. If any of your family or friends have commented on your terrible snoring, feeling very tired, head aches or vision problems please go and see a doctor, you may have Sleep Apnea which could lead to your death through stress on the heart, or killing you and other road users by falling asleep. Don’t take it lightly guys, and girls. It can affect anyone but especially if you’re carrying some extra weight and you have a thick neck. I had Sleep Apnea for over 3 years without knowing it, I actually fell asleep walking in the kitchen on one occasion, on another went through a plate glass display case. Once diagnosed I was given a CPAP Machine and was instantly cured, I am so glad I wasn’t driving trucks during that period of my life, sadly the driver that killed the two guys on the hard shoulder was, it certainly sounds like he was describing the affects Sleep Apnea in the court.Even if he wasn’t, there are alot of you that have and don’t know it. A simple machine that the NHS provide can cure you literally overnight, and you trampers can be supplied with a 12v DC lead to use in your wagon. Better safe than sorry.
got halfway through reading post and nodded off 
sorry couldn’t resist it, if I hadn’t someone would have
Get to the doctors 
If you are a bit of a porker with a neck circumference of more than 18 inches you are at risk, so no jokes see a doctor especially if you dont get a good nights deep sleep .
My Mrs ‘was’ a bit of a snorer but not overweight by any means (but ya know wot women are like 
). Anyways, she wanted to lose a few lbs ready for our summer holiday and the snoring has stopped…now it’s just my snoring that keeps me awake!
My partner Sue, who I have been with for 6 yrs, used to snore a lot, BUT , I laid awake one night and watched her. she would also stop breathing for several seconds, even as long as 10 or 12 seconds, many times in an hour. and then she would be tired the following day and just nod off while sitting down. I said to her " you’ve got sleep apnea" We got a hospital appointment and they gave her a monitor to take home for one night… When we went back the next day the consultant said it was one of the worst cases of sleep apnea she had ever seen… Sue had actually stopped breathing more than two hundred times in the night… I know its not very romantic, but she now wears a breathing mask at night ( I work nights, LOL ) which pumps air at a monitored rate to improve her breathing pattern… but the plus side is that she is a lot brighter and not tired during the day…and as far as her car licence , there isn’t a problem as long as she is receiving treatment… not sure how it would affect HGV entitlement though.
Trukkertone:
I know its not very romantic, but she now wears a breathing mask at night
On certain, err, ‘specialist’ websites that might be seen as a plus point. 
I hope this helps.
Happened to someone I know.
As a company Director he mainly worked in the office but occasionaly would driver a wagon when needed.
it got to the point where he would fall aslepp at anytime throughout the day snoring extremely loudly. my office was just down the corridor and I was constantly shouting “Oi! Your snoring”. he developed the habit of sitting at his desk hand on mouse looking like he was doing something - but snoring. it got to the point he would fall asleep whilst in a meeting or talking to someone.
I moaned like eck at him not to drive and to get some medical help - but he insisted he was fine when in a wagon or driving as that was far more interesting than being behind a desk. I couldn’t overule him - he was my boss.
Not many months ago I had reason to go somewhere with him and he drove - talk about bloody nervous. Motorway - not quite legal speeds and he’d snore 
So I just talked and talked and kept him going. Towards the end of the journey whilst going round a roundabout - and whilst talking to me he just went to sleep and I had to grab the wheel to avoid us ploughing into a wall. We had a blazing row in the middle of a car park and i drove us back.
Finally he went to his doctor and was diagnosed with sleep apnia. he now has a mask when sleeping and is back to how he should be. Turns out he was getting next to no sleep at night due to the snoring and breathing issues and spent most of the night sat on the edge of the bed trying not to wake the wife - therefore little sleep was had.
To think he was on occasion driving HGVs and he now admits that he was going to sleep - as he put it “for miles on end”. Frightening.
The more frightening thing - whilst being diagnosed and whilst still suffering the doctor said he was fine to keep his driving licence.
I just hope you guys that have read this take it seriously, I can see a lot of you have. You don’t have to be fat either. A guy of 36 who played professional American Football in the NFL died of a massive heart attack, hardly any fat on him but had a thick muscular neck. The autopsy found he had suffered from Sleep Apnea for years, it was only then that his wife said he did snore badly. If you are using a CPAP Machine after diagnosis you can drive HGV’s. They think there could be 1000’s of undiagnosed cases out there.