Fatigued trucking can lead to serious crashes

Truckers do a major service to this country, but they must ensure that they’re being safe while they’re doing it. One thing that they need to be careful about is driving when they become fatigued. In most cases, truckers are subjected to the Hours of Service regulations, which limit them to being able to drive no more than 11 hours total before taking at least 10 hours off to rest. There are times when these regulations are relaxed, so truckers might choose to drive more.

Because fatigued trucking is a serious problem, truckers should make sure that they’re doing everything they can to avoid driving when they’re too drowsy to do so. This doesn’t only have to do with getting enough sleep. They also have to be aware of other causes of drowsy driving.

One cause of drowsiness when driving is taking certain medications. Around 17% of commercial motor vehicle drivers who were in a crash report using over-the-counter medications. Things like allergy medications and pain pills can cause this, so trucker should always look at the labels to see if there is a warning about operating heavy equipment.

Some of the other risks include driving on familiar roads, traveling at night and driving in a cab that’s too stuffy. By mitigating these factors, there is a chance that the trucker could avoid causing a fatigued driving crash.

It can be difficult to pinpoint fatigued driving as the cause of a semitruck crash, but checking the trucker’s logs might help. If you’re injured in a trucking wreck, you might choose to seek compensation. Determining the cause can greatly help your case.