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The dangers of truck driver fatigue

On Behalf of | Oct 5, 2021 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Truck driver fatigue can lead to serious truck accidents which makes understanding the impacts and causes of truck driver fatigue important. Additionally, injured truck accident victims should also be familiar with the legal protections available to help them with their damages when they have been harmed.

The impacts of truck driver fatigue

Truck driver fatigue can be as serious as truck drivers driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A truck driver who drives after greater than 24 hours awake is similar to a truck driver who is drives with a blood alcohol content level of 0.10. Drowsy driving can make it difficult for the driver to focus on the road and the task of driving. It can cause truck drivers to be unable to respond to changes while driving as quickly as they need to in order to maintain safety.

The causes of truck driver fatigue

Truck driver fatigue can be caused in several ways. Causes of truck driver drowsiness can include:

  • Lack of rest breaks or sleep – at times, a truck driver’s schedule may push them to make deadlines that cause them not to get adequate sleep or take required rest breaks leading to drowsiness while driving.
  • Illness or medication use – illness or the use of medications that make the truck driver drowsy may lead to truck driver fatigue.
  • Driving under the influence – truck drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs may also experience drowsiness which can increase the risk of a truck accident.
  • Unusual driving shifts – due to the nature of the work, truck drivers may maintain unusual driving hours that their bodies struggle to adjust to or may drive when their body is transitioning if they are driving a different shift all of which may lead to truck driver fatigue.

Truck driver fatigue and lead to serious accidents

Truck driver fatigue can lead to an increased danger that a truck accident will take place. Truck accidents can have catastrophic consequences in the lives of victims suffering physical, financial and emotional injuries and damages that result from a truck accident. For that reason, injured truck accident victims should know who to hold accountable and how personal injury legal resources may help them obtain compensation for their damages.