The Dangers of Drowsy Truck Driving Exposed

In just about any workplace, meeting deadlines is the key to productivity, success and earning money. On highways in Salt Lake City and throughout the United States, truck drivers are put under high amounts of pressure to make sure their deliveries are made on time. 

For truckers, tight deadlines can equate to more hours behind the wheel with fewer opportunities to rest, notes ABC News. Drowsy driving is a threat to everyone on the roads, as it increases the risk of auto accidents.

Sure, companies need to make money, and our economy thrives on the shipment and delivery of valuable goods and services. But when companies put profits ahead of safety, roads and highways can become dangerous. In Salt Lake City and nationwide, drowsy driving is a leading cause of auto accidents, reports HG Legal resources. 

The fact of the matter is drowsy truck drivers are just as problematic as drunk drivers. To confirm this epidemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that roughly 100,000 auto accidents nationwide are a result of drowsy driving. If truck drivers are feeling fatigued or sleepy, their best bet is to exit the roadways as soon as possible and catch up on some much-needed sleep. 

In Salt Lake City and on highways across the nation, drowsy truck drivers suffer from delayed reaction times, poor decision-making skills, increasingly blurred vision and overall inattentiveness. But, many truckers fear the worst when they get tired: will they earn next month’s paycheck if they fall behind due to sleep deprivation? 

Legally, companies cannot require drivers to continue driving if drivers say they are too tired, notes the American Trucking Associations. 

Some companies manipulate the system, though, telling their employees to drink some coffee or turn on the radio. These simple problem solvers won’t work, however. They only temporarily boost alertness; after an hour or so, drivers can actually feel more tired than before. 

Instead, sleepy drivers should find the cheapest nearby hotel room—even if it is just for a few hours. The price of hotel accommodations is much cheaper than the potential consequences of deadly auto accidents.

In a matter of safety or paycheck, drowsy truckers should always choose safety. Roads in Salt Lake City and across the nation are full of semi-trucks, but when 18-wheeler operators are sleepy, the roads can be extremely hazardous. In the end, the streets are no place for sleep-deprived drivers. Pull over, park the truck and sleep tight before operating any vehicle.