Drowsy truckers pose real dangers to other motorists

Many people in New York would agree that we depend on truckers to keep our store shelves stocked and our economy moving. Truckers are often incentivized to make quick deliveries, turn around and make more quick deliveries. This could lead a trucker to drive while drowsy, increasing the risk that they could cause a truck accident.

Ignoring your natural “lulls”

As humans, we have what is referred to as a “circadian rhythm.” This means that there are certain times of the day when our bodies naturally want to go to sleep. Generally, these hours occur between midnight to 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Truckers are often incentivized to spend long hours on the road. They may even drive overnight to avoid congested traffic. This means they may be driving during one of these natural lulls. Doing so puts them at risk of causing a truck accident because they will be sleepy and less alert.

Is your medication making you a risky driver?

Most of us need to take medication either during an illness or on a daily basis if we have a chronic health condition. Some of these medications make a person drowsy. For example, cold medicine, allergy medicine and prescription tranquilizers can all cause drowsiness.

Truckers may take the risk; however, of driving even if they take medication that makes them drowsy. One study reports that 17% of trucker respondents stated they had taken an over-the-counter drug at the time they caused a truck accident.

Don’t assume you know the trick to staying awake

We all get sleepy from time to time. Truckers especially believe they know the “trick” to stay awake while driving. Sometimes, this means drinking a caffeinated beverage, smoking, opening the window for fresh air or playing loud music.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that these tricks will keep a driver alert in the long run. This means a trucker may cause a crash due to having a false sense of security about their alertness.

Truckers must remain alert

Truckers must take responsibility for driving alert. Drowsy driving causes truck accidents. If you are injured in a truck accident caused by a drowsy trucker, you will want to learn more about what you can do to pursue compensation for the damages you suffered through a personal injury lawsuit.