Truck driver fatigue poses a danger everywhere they go. They cause problems when driving through tight, narrow streets where other drivers may have no room to maneuver.
The Dangers Caused by Fatigued Truck Drivers
Fatigued truck drivers cause hundreds of fatalities in the United States through deadly road accidents each year. The size of their vehicles makes drowsy truck drivers even more dangerous to the other vehicles sharing the road with them.
These are some of the main problems caused by drowsiness:
Fatigued truck drivers may not react to changing conditions
The conditions on roads are subject to change at any time. Truck drivers need to react accordingly when these changes occur, be it when they encounter a driver who suddenly brakes or navigating on an icy patch on the road. Fatigue may cause truck drivers to have slow reflexes, which makes it difficult to keep up with the conditions around them on the road.
Fatigued drivers fail to notice their surroundings
Drowsiness makes it difficult for truck drivers to keep up with the moving traffic around them. Truck drivers need to keep track of other vehicles on the road with them. They have to be alert and mindful of their trucks to ensure they keep their cargo as safe as possible.
Tunnel vision is also another impact of fatigue on truck drivers. This means drivers may lose sensory alertness from anything but what takes place directly in front of them.
Fatigued drivers often drift out of their lanes
While crossing between lanes, fatigued drivers often let their vehicles wander between lanes. Drifting into another lane without paying attention may cause serious problems because most trucks do not have extra room to maneuver in between lanes. They often cause head-on collisions and side-wipe collisions.
Fatigued drivers may be dazed
Since they spend many hours on the road, truck drivers may become dazed and drive without concentrating, it makes it impossible for them to navigate their truck safely on the road. Fatigued drivers often drive in a haze, and are unable to think clearly while driving. This makes them not able to adjust to challenges or respond quickly to threats that may lead to accidents.
Drowsiness increases poor decision-making.
Fatigued truck drivers may experience symptoms of extreme fatigue that mimic those of intoxication. They may struggle to make safe choices or worse, not realize that they need to pull off the road, whether to take a rest or find a safe place to sleep for the night.
This may also mean that they will take more chances and resort to speeding to reach their destinations as fast as possible before running out of the hours they’re legally allowed to spend on the road. Fatigued drivers may also ignore safety precautions which may, in turn, lead to raising the risk of accidents happening on the road.
Having an attorney by your side if a fatigued truck driver injures you in an accident can help you seek the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
