A recent near miss of a Boston-bound flight from Washington DC – attributed to air traffic controllers – may be avoidable thanks to new rules the FAA is implementing.

“It’s related to the issue of fatigue and air traffic controllers,” said Dr. Charles Czeisler who is Chief of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The rules recommended by a Scientific Panel that the FAA initiated and included the renowned Harvard sleep doctor.

“What really concerned the 3 of us is that 70% of controllers worked schedules where they had really quick turnarounds,” said Dr Czeisler.

The panel looked at more than 10-thousand air traffic controllers, their schedules, and job requirements.

They found many are overworked and tired.

“Getting off at 10 p.m. and then the next day they have to start at 5 or 6 in the morning,” he said.

The 114-page report revealed that more than a third of air traffic controllers admitted to falling asleep while driving home after a midnight shift.

Among the recommendations meant to keep everyone safer:

Dr. Czeisler says these initial steps should help avoid near misses. The goal here is safety and air traffic controllers play a vital role in that.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW