Drowsy Driving And Commercial Truck Accidents

Commercial trucks keep the economy going by moving goods across states 24/7. It is a difficult job that pushes drivers to their limits. They work long hours just to make sure their cargo gets to the destination on time. Maybe of them don’t rest enough and work in a sleep-deprived state. However, drowsy driving and commercial truck accidents tend to go together. Studies estimate that about half of the crashes in this vehicle category trace back to a lack of sleep. It often leads to:

Impaired Coordination

When you don’t get enough sleep, the body and mind get disconnected. It becomes harder to control your own actions. You want to move one way, but your body does something altogether different. You get sloppy with your movements. For example, a driver might see an approaching car in the distance and try to avoid it, but his hands and feet may not do as his mind tells them. What is always an easy maneuver when he isn’t drowsy becomes a big struggle if he is.

Delayed Reaction Times

A sleepy person tends to move slower. The lethargy makes movement a challenge. Even if he wants to do something, the body resists his will. It can take a while to overcome this lethargy. However, you don’t always get the luxury of time on the roads. Many accidents occur when we least expect them. Perhaps a sudden change in the circumstances occurred, and the driver failed to react in time. Another vehicles appeared from a blind corner, and the driver could not hit the brakes fast enough to avoid it.

Drowsy Driving And Commercial Truck Accidents

Impaired Judgment

Commercial truck drivers undergo rigorous screening before the companies hired them. They must have many years of excellent driving under their belt and demonstrate great skill before employers consider them for the job. In theory, they should know how to handle most issues they encounter while their cargo moves along the highway. However, all that experience and expertise often goes out the window if they drive while drowsy. Their judgment becomes impaired, making them susceptible to rookie mistakes.

Impaired Info Retention

Sleepiness also affects the brain’s ability to hold onto information and use memory. The drivers may traverse a familiar highway, but they may forget crucial details, like a dangerous turn or a slippery section. They might see a sign along the way warning about construction work ahead, but it fails to register in their minds. Instead of slowing down as they should, they continue to move forward at full speed and head into an avoidable disaster.

The injuries and property damage resulting from such crashes can be severe. Get compensated for a semi-truck accident by hiring a competent lawyer.


  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep-deprived_driving
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowsydriving/index.html