The number of truck drivers on the roads in Knoxville is growing every day. Because of the type of vehicles they drive and their job responsibilities, truck drivers are held to higher standards in regards to drug and alcohol use. Studies show that intoxicated truckers are one of the most dangerous types of motorists to avoid. Truck drivers cause accidents that result in catastrophic injuries for victims and long-term pain and suffering for their families.
According to Rueters.com, many big rig operators resort to using narcotics, alcohol and other substances so they can perform their jobs. Many truckers have long routes and work long hours. Some of them work for smaller companies that do not provide much flexibility or work life balance to their drivers. Truckers who use drugs, alcohol and other substances to stay awake so they can perform their jobs are not as predictable as other truck drivers. Their disregard for company policies and the law causes them to endanger other motorists who are on the roads with them.
Accidents involving regular vehicle operators and truckers are often serious. Cars are much smaller than trucks. Trucks require more stopping distance and have significantly more impact. Truck accidents are responsible for more than 100,000 injuries each year, states CNBC.com. These accidents are the result of many factors, including trucker intoxication.
There are laws and regulations in place to help deter the number of intoxicated truckers on the roads. But until better preventative measures, testing procedures and technology are in place, motorists should watch the roads for intoxicated truckers and avoid them at all costs.