If you drive commercial motor vehicles to make a living, it is vital to understand the dangers of driver fatigue. Every year, many people lose their lives due to large truck collisions that happen as a result of driver fatigue. Unfortunately, drowsy driving is often overlooked and many people suffer life-altering injuries when crashes take place.
Moreover, if a large truck driver recently collided with you, explore some of the options available to you as you try to recover. For example, some people decide to take legal action and they need to review various factors related to the crash, such as driver fatigue.
The impact of driver fatigue
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that drivers who become fatigued have a greater chance of falling asleep behind the wheel, reacting slowly to other vehicles and hazards on the road and experiencing tunnel vision. Sometimes, truck drivers struggling with drowsiness have difficulty staying in the right lane and they sometimes make poor decisions because they cannot think clearly.
Preventing truck driver fatigue
The CDC reports that a majority of adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per day. As a result, it is pivotal for large truck drivers (as well as all other drivers) to ensure that they get the right amount of sleep before taking to the road. Sometimes, truck drivers work for too long and it is imperative for truck drivers to stay off of the road if they cannot drive safely due to fatigue. Moreover, truck drivers should not count on coffee to keep them alert.