Distractions That Cause Truck Drivers to Lose Control

Those who drive commercial vehicles have skills that regular drivers do not and have been vigorously trained for the job. Being in one of these large vehicles means one thing for a driver: They must do whatever it takes to keep an eye on the roads ahead and turn their complete attention to drivers. When distracted driving occurs, it can put the lives of other drivers in danger, leading to deadly accidents. Understanding some of the common distractions for truck drivers can lead us into a better state of mind where we understand what precautions need to be taken.

Common Distractions for Truck Drivers 

Sleepiness: Sleepiness is an internal type of distraction that can cause a driver to lose all focus when they have spent long hours on the road. Trucks require a lot of time to brake, which means that a serious accident could occur in seconds if a truck driver closes their eyes for a moment.

Cell Phone Related Distractions: Using a cell phone on the roadways is risky, and this risk increases when a large truck is involved. Cellphone usage is actually one of the major reasons why these accidents occur on our roads. A crash event is more likely, according to statistics, when a driver is talking on the phone, dialing on a phone, reaching for their device, or text messaging. Text messaging, in fact, is one of the biggest dangers when it comes to distracted driving as a truck driver. In some states, including Washington, there is a ban on drivers text messaging while they are on the job.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reports that distracted driving is a significant cause in over 400,000 accidents that happen on the roadways every year! The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has implemented many rules that make it so that truck and bus drivers are absolutely banned from texting or using handheld devices due to the accidents they pose. This could lead to violations, fines, driver disqualification, and more. Because distracted driving is such a serious issue, drivers must always stay aware of these very common accidents. Call us today if you have experienced a truck accident due to distracted driving and received injuries. We are waiting to hear from you.