Commercial truckers have become a key component of the U.S. economy. While online shopping has been a popular phenomenon for the past decade, the pandemic made the e-commerce industry skyrocket from a convenience to a necessity for many Americans. In order for companies to meet their shipping promises to consumers, truckers work day and night, not to mention the thousands of truckers who transport cargo from one business to another. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recognizes the pressure that these constant demands can have on commercial trucking companies and their employees and have put strict regulations in place when it comes to how many hours truckers can spend on the wheel. Despite these additional measures, some truckers continue to drive past the point of exhaustion, placing themselves and other drivers at risk.
Looking at the Statistics
Drowsy driving is a real risk that many drivers--both commercial truckers and everyday drivers--brush to the side. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drowsy driving claimed 795 lives in 2017 and caused 4,111 fatalities between 2013 and 2017. In 2017 alone, approximately 91,000 car accidents involving drowsy driving occurred. Studies have been done on the causes of commercial motor vehicle accidents, and the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) reported that 13 percent of commercial truckers were considered to be fatigued at the time of their accident. While drowsy driving may not be the sole reason for the accident, it is certainly a contributor when it comes to car crashes.
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