Car crashes happen every day. In fact, just over ten accidents happen every minute. Many of these accidents are caused by distracted driving.
Distracted driving can happen in many ways, but, specifically, they happen after visual, manual and cognitive distractions; a visual distraction is anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road; a manual distraction leads to drivers taking their hands off the wheel; and, a cognitive distraction causes drivers to think about something other than driving. Distracted driving can happen to anyone at any time.
You may believe that professional drivers, like trained and experienced truck drivers, are less prone to distracted driving. However, that’s likely isn’t true and here’s why:
Truckers have to attend to their basic needs
Trucking isn’t an easy job. It takes a lot of time and energy and many workers don’t return for days. That means most truckers have to eat and sleep while they’re still running a shipment, which can lead to distractions.
For example, truckers frequently have to get a fast-food meal and eat it while they’re still driving. A trucker would likely have to take a hand off the wheel to open their food bag, unwrap the package and start eating. While all this is happening, they’re focusing more on eating than the road. As a result, they could end up losing control of their truck.
Another example could happen if a trucker doesn’t get enough sleep, which can frequently happen because truckers don’t always get the necessary sleep they need. A trucker can then become drowsy and lose focus or suddenly black out from exhaustion. Any driver would know that falling asleep at the wheel is extremely dangerous.
If you’re in an accident with a trucker. Then you may need to be aware of your legal right when seeking compensation for your injuries and losses.