If you find yourself involved in a large truck crash, you could face a number of serious hardships, from devastating injuries to financial challenges and mental trauma. Sadly, truck accidents claim many lives as well. These crashes keep happening due to various risk factors, but many of these collisions take place as a result of truck driver fatigue.
Truck drivers become fatigued for many different reasons. Those who cause an accident because they were too tired to focus on the road must answer for the consequences of the crash.
Risk factors associated with truck driver fatigue
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration outlined a number of risks linked with truck driver fatigue. In fact, a study found that among commercial vehicle drivers involved in accidents, fatigue affected 13% at the time of the accident. Some truck drivers become fatigued as a result of medication, including drugs sold over the counter. Working long hours can also cause fatigue and some truckers do not get enough sleep at night.
How does fatigue affect truck drivers?
On the road, fatigue can impact truck drivers in many ways. Drowsiness can lead to poor judgment, slower reaction time, difficulty concentrating and memory problems. Unfortunately, some truck drivers ignore drowsiness and drive anyway, placing lives in danger. Some count on strategies such as drinking a lot of coffee or opening their window to stay alert, although these techniques do not solve the problem.
In the wake of a crash, determining that a driver struggled with fatigue is often difficult, which highlights the importance of reviewing all of the details surrounding an accident.