Health Problems for Truck Drivers Contribute to Fatal Accidents

Large trucks can cause extremely fatal accidents. Their combined size and weight far exceed normal passenger vehicle sizes, which means that the occasional human or manufacturer error can prove disastrous. Many people often tout distracted driving, defective parts, or other issues as the cause of such accidents, but some variables are less obvious. One often overlooked cause of truck accidents is poor health on the part of the truck driver. What are some common health concerns? We elaborate below.

Major Health Concerns for Truck Drivers

Truck drivers know their industry is high-risk. Studies show that the fatality rate for commercial truck drivers is many times greater than that of workers in other industries. Many factors contribute to this, however, research shows that some of the greatest dangers truck drivers may face are themselves.

Truck driving as a vocation necessitates a sedentary lifestyle. While on the road, there aren’t many options for regular exercise. The lack of exercise combined with a diet usually filled with whatever is quickest and easiest (fast food, unhealthy snacks etc.) contributes to many of the problems truck drivers face.

Some of the most common health concerns for truckers include:

• Obesity
• High Blood Pressure
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Sleep Apnea

In addition to these, over half of long-haul truck drivers take up smoking, which can compound existing health problems and introduce a host of new ones. Chances of getting cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and strokes are greatly increased by a lifestyle that includes smoking.

The Danger of Drowsy Driving

Often, existing conditions such as obesity may contribute to the rise of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects many in the truck driving industry and may inhibit their ability to drive safely and effectively. Truck drivers with sleep apnea may be operating vehicles while feeling depressed or irritable, suffering from headaches, struggling with concentration, and generally feeling exhausted by the lack of sleep.

Other times, drivers who are motivated by a pay-per-mile contract may decide to skip sleep in order to make more money quickly. This contributes to drowsy driving and can affect a driver’s health later on.

Injured in a Truck Accident? Trust McClellan Law Firm.

Though medical tests are required by law to be administered to truck drivers to prevent drivers with major sleep apnea or other health concerns from operating commercial vehicles, many health problems go unreported and unaddressed. If you have recently been involved in a collision, let a San Diego truck accident lawyer from the McClellan Law Firm investigate the details surrounding your accident. It could be that a health problem was a major factor. Regardless, an experienced injury attorney is a huge asset when trying to obtain compensation from large trucking companies.

To take the first step towards compensation, contact ustoday!