What are the dangers involved in driving a truck while drowsy? The information can be rather startling.
Truck Driving Accidents Related to Fatigue
One of the main causes of truck accidents on the roads is a lack of sleep. Around 100,000 truck driving accidents per year are caused by truck drivers who did not have adequate sleep. This leads to 40,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths every year.
Driving while tired is considered a serious thing. Many experts say it is a similar level of irresponsibility as driving while under the influence of alcohol. A recent survey done by Harvard claims that 250,000 people fall asleep at the wheel. Of the people surveyed, 50% of participants claim to have dowsed off while driving at least once in their lives. Furthermore, truck drivers say they have nearly fallen asleep at least once while driving.
Drowsiness Affects Your Ability to Drive
Just as serious as driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while tired can affect one’s judgment, it can affect how quickly they react. It also affects one’s cognitive ability. Too many drivers believe they can still drive safely while deprived of sleep. This adds further danger to the number of people drive who are not properly rested.
What Are the Causes of Fatigue While Driving
There are a few reasons that cause drivers to have fatigue. Very often truck drivers do not have a standard drive schedule. This causes them to be out of a regular routine. Causing them to have irregular sleeping patterns that cause fatigue. Sometimes these irregular schedules may tempt drivers to use sleeping medication to sleep when it is needed. Such drugs might make one even more fatigued and prone to accidents when it is time to get behind the wheel.
Truck companies often have strict deadlines that are not easy to meet. Truck drivers are often obligated to meet them regardless. It is for this reason that the law of transport drivers is to take 10 hours off from driving if they have driven for 11 hours.
In some transport companies, the drivers are paid per mile. This means the more they drive the more they get paid. This model is more dangerous than earning an hourly rate. It may also cause the driver to drive faster or more recklessly than they normally would. Fortunately, there are several important driving tips for all truck drivers to keep in mind to help them stay awake during long road trips or night travel.
Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident
There could be many parties at fault in a truck driving accident. If you were involved in a truck driving accident where the truck driver was at fault you might be liable to sue more parties than the driver himself.
It is very likely that the owner of the truck is liable. Often it is the case that the vehicle manufacturer and its parts can be liable to compensate for injuries or loss caused by the accident. The transport company is often liable to pay compensation along side their insurance company too.