Truck accidents have been on the rise for decades as a result of driver fatigue and other factors, with fatal car accidents caused by such truckers making up nearly one-fourth of all motor vehicle fatalities. A driver’s fatigue has even been correlated with crashes in which the driver doesn’t crash the truck but falls asleep behind the wheel instead. Truckers tend to have the most dangerous jobs because they are often out of sight and have no one to supervise them while operating their vehicles. The driver being tired is the most common reason for truck accidents, which is also one of the top reasons for fatal accidents. The problem is it puts other drivers at risk. In a truck accident, other drivers will lose much more than a truck driver. The only course of action the victims of truck accidents have is to file a claim and recover damages.
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Ways to Put an End to Truck Accidents as a Result of Driver’s Fatigue
1. Reduce Speed and Going Long Distance
Truck accidents are often the result of a driver going too fast or not driving quite long enough to make a direct turn. When the truck is at a faster speed, there’s more chance of sudden jerks to the driver’s side, and there’s also more chance that another vehicle or person will be hit by that truck. As speeds increase, so does the risk of losing control of a car.
2. If You Have to Drive at Night, Take a Shower
During the day, your body naturally produces a chemical that allows you to stay awake. This chemical is known as adrenaline. When you are tired, adrenaline will not act as effectively, meaning that you may fall asleep at the wheel if you do not take steps to fight off drowsiness. While driving at night, you might also want to double-check your blind spot to see if anyone is coming up behind as you’re going.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast and Stay Hydrated
It’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day to fight off drowsiness. However, it’s even more important to have a healthy breakfast in the morning because food helps keep blood sugar levels stable – and blood sugar stability keeps energy levels consistent throughout the day.
4. Don’t Drive When You are Drowsy
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that drowsy driving is one of the leading causes of fatal car accidents. Not only do drowsy drivers make mistakes with driving, but they also tend to be involved in much more severe accidents because they cannot react quickly enough to avoid those crashes.
5. Always Check Your Vehicle
You should only drive a vehicle that is in proper working order. If you have any issues with your car, it needs to be fixed before you hit the road. Please do so to avoid fatal car accidents because you will not be able to control the truck as well as you should.
If a driver continually hits the road after experiencing periods of exhaustion, that could be detrimental to other motorists on the road with them. Some tired people like to get more rest by taking short naps, which worsens their problem. The best way for drivers to avoid truck accidents is to get plenty of rest before working to prevent themselves from falling asleep at the wheel.
