Sleep, law, and public policy

Drowsiness and poor sleep health in individuals have population-wide health and safety impacts which societies often feel compelled to address as a matter of law and public policy. Governments, multinational organizations, and non-governmental regulatory bodies worldwide have adopted legal and policy interventions to address the impacts of drowsiness and poor sleep health in the individuals and populations they serve. This chapter introduces some examples of such interventions developed for the general motoring public, workers in safety-critical jobs or occupations requiring unusual work hours or extended duration duty, and adolescent pupils. Directions for future research and intervention are also discussed, such as a 'breathalyzer for drowsiness'.