It has been reported before, but it deserves reiterating: driving while fatigued is a dangerous thing. It can take a toll on a person’s ability to concentrate, and it can make driving on the road with them dangerous, as drowsy drivers can also be the cause of accidents due to a lowered reaction time or falling asleep at the wheel.
It can be especially dangerous for truck drivers to drive while sleep deprived or fatigued. The National Center for Biotechnology Information stated that truck drivers who are driving late at night or early in the morning are particularly susceptible to fatigue. However, an unfortunately startling fact was also learned. After surveying a portion of truck drivers while on their job, the conclusion drawn was that on average, commercial truck drivers were not getting the amount of sleep that they needed in order to perform their job safely.
The same study estimates that there are around 5,000 deaths a year that are due to commercial truck accidents. Over 110,000 people are injured in accidents that involve a commercial truck, as well. After the crash data was examined, it was determined that either complete or partial fatigue is responsible for up to 56% of the accidents that commercial trucks are involved in. Considering it should be crucial for truck drivers to be getting an adequate amount of sleep before hitting the road, this is a very problematic and concerning set of statistics.
Regardless, the one thing that can be done to help lower these numbers is for commercial truck drivers to get an adequate amount of sleep. This way, accidents can be avoided. Companies should therefore ensure that they are not overworking their employees.