Kuala Lampur, March 13 -- I still remember the close call my family experienced during our trip back to our hometown in Kedah. As children, we always depended on our father to do the heavy lifting, including driving long hours during festive seasons.

One particular journey took a frightening turn when he briefly dozed off at the wheel, jolting awake just in time to avoid a crash. At that time, we were unfamiliar with the term "microsleep." Did it mean a person needed less sleep? Or was it related to sleep deprivation?

We soon learned that microsleep refers to brief, involuntary episodes of sleep while a person is awake-an alarming condition that endangers not just the driver but also passengers and innocent bystanders.

In Malaysia, roa...