Drowsy Truck Drivers or Drunk Drivers: Which Is the Bigger Risk?

By Thomas Greer | January 25, 2015

Would you want a drunk driver behind a wheel of a semi-truck? While most commercial truck drivers know better than to drive drunk, thousands of truck drivers legally get behind the wheel with impairment levels similar to a BAC of .08. Are the drivers on drugs? No, they are simply sleepy.

Multiple studies have found that driving while drowsy is just as dangerous as drunk driving.This is especially true if the driver is operating an 80,000 pound big rig. A moment of dozing off can become deadly.

Many commercial truck drivers take advantage of low traffic levels between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m. While the lack of traffic helps drivers make good time, our bodies are naturally programmed to sleep during these hours. People who work night shifts are far more likely to suffer from drowsiness and sleep interruptions than people who sleep at that time.

In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), commercial drivers are more likely than other drivers to be involved in drowsy driving accidents. About 15 percent of all Tennessee commercial truck crashes are due to driver fatigue.

Causes of truck driver fatigue

  • Sleep deprivation, getting less than six hours of sleep for several days
  • Fragmented sleep caused by interruptions or uncomfortable sleeping conditions
  • Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea
  • Use of medications that cause drowsiness
  • Alcohol use
  • Working too many hours
  • Working at night
  • Working irregular or changing schedules

Drowsy driving among commercial truck drivers is such a prevalent problem that the government regulates the number hours a driver can work in a day. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires truck drivers to spend at least ten consecutive hours off-duty each day. Drivers are required to record the time spent off-duty and the time spent sleeping in their log books.

When a drowsy truck driver falls asleep at the wheel, the results can be devastating. If you have been injured in or lost a loved one to a Tennessee trucking accident, we urge you to contact a Memphis personal injury attorney with experience in truck accidents. You deserve justice, not trucking company run-around. To get the help you need, contact Bailey & Greer at 901-680-9777. The initial consultation is free.

Posted in Library, Truck Accidents