A smart Florida driver should be vigilant whenever they are on the road. After all, driving accidents are the leading cause of premature death in the United States. These crashes cost the country $230.6 billion dollars on an annual basis, which averages out to $820 per citizen. It is estimated that more than 100,000 car accidents can be attributed to drowsy driving every year.
Drowsiness can have several negative impacts on drivers. Similar to being drunk, drowsiness impairs a driver’s judgment, reaction time and cognition. When a driver is drowsy, their reflexes are slowed down, increasing the possibility of a collision. Drowsy drivers are also liable to nod off and fall asleep behind the wheel, which can spell disaster for them and their fellow motorists.
With that said, those most likely to endure drowsy driving are truck drivers. This should come as no surprise as truck drivers tend to be subject to strict schedules, long hours on the road and employers breathing down their necks to deliver on time. Because of these factors, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration set a limit on the number of hours a trucker can drive. Nevertheless, the incentives employers offer may cause some truckers to ignore the FMCSA limitations in favor of meeting tight deadlines.
Collisions involving large trucks can be catastrophic, leading to the unnecessary loss of life. Furthermore, truckers who choose to disregard the FMCSA’s limitations, be it out of their own volition or due to pressure from their superiors, endanger their own lives and the lives of others on the road. If someone has been hurt by a drowsy trucker, an attorney could help the victim file a claim for compensation.
