Driver fatigue is a serious problem amongst truck drivers. With tight deadlines and incentives to get packages to their destinations on time, many truckers will log extra hours in order to achieve their goals.Unfortunately, these excessive hours on the road come with a cost: driving fatigue. And when a drowsy driver at the helm of a multi ton truck traveling 65 miles an hour on a highway falls asleep, the results are often times devastating.
Drowsy driving often occurs in the middle of the night and the middle of the afternoon. Driving on long, straight, flat highways can also create drowsiness in the driver. Long haul truck drivers are put in these susceptible situations on a regular basis. Many are so used to these conditions that they rarely will stop at a truck stop and take a quick nap to regain their energy.Instead, many continue to drive while their ability is impaired.
Some common causes of driver fatigue include:
- Deadlines
- Inexperience
- Pressure from management
- Pre-existing medical issues
Symptoms of driving fatigue include:
- Swerving into other lanes of traffic
- Lack of concentration
- Constant yawning
- Heavy eyelids
One way to combat some of these issues to make sure that drivers of trucks keep strict logs of their daily driving and they are in adherence to all of the Department of Transportation regulations in regards to commercial driving.Not being in compliance cannot only cost a driver their job, but it could end up costing someone their life due to negligence.
Driver fatigue is something that can be avoided. But despite regulations to keep drowsy drivers off the road, many fatigued drivers still occupy our roads.
If a fatigued truck driver has seriously injured you or a loved one in the Colorado Springs area, please contact the attorneys at Jaray & Webster at (719) 633-6620 immediately to schedule a free consultation.