Truck drivers work long hours, usually driving thousands of miles every week. Due to this, limitations and work times are made to keep these drivers from overworking. Unfortunately, most truck drivers work outside their lawfully allowed hours to make more money. Consequently, they get fatigued and operate the trucks on roads endangering the lives of other road users.
But how can you tell that fatigue was a factor in your accident? The following are signs of truck driver fatigue:
Drowsiness
Some truck drivers are usually drowsy because they don’t get enough sleep. This is because they work long hours to move goods across long distances. So, they wake up early and drive into the evening hours. Besides, the combination of long hours and the pressure to make more money can tire them.
Visible signs of tiredness
Every driver should be able to know the signs of fatigue and acknowledge them. Unfortunately, truck drivers usually ignore these signs either due to work pressure or wanting to get off work early. Some of the signs that the truck driver is fatigued are:
- Frequent yawning
- Has a hard time concentrating on the road
- Keeps zoning out
- Drifts out of their lane
- Has trouble keeping their eyes open
They are sick
Health issues like diabetes and seasonal flu can cause fatigue. When a truck driver is sick, their body uses its resources fighting the illness, so it doesn’t have the time to handle routine actions like driving. Besides, sick truck drivers should not be operating trucks since they are unfit to drive.
Various medicines can also cause fatigue. These can be sleep medications, painkillers, or antiviral drugs. So a driver using any medication with fatigue as a side effect should either be off duty or avoid taking the medication.
Figuring out whether trucker fatigue was a factor in your wreck may be no easy task. It takes experience and skill to dig through records and ask the right questions to establish that fact. If you suspect that a fatigued truck driver caused your accident, you should seek compensation for damages.
