Due to the nature of their jobs, truck drivers are particularly prone to auto accidents. And unfortunately, drivers and passengers involved in accidents with trucks often experience severe injuries. One of the major causes of truck accidents is drowsy driving. Contrary to popular belief, drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as other forms of impaired driving. Below is an overview of the ways in which drowsy driving contributes to truck accidents in Florida.
Factors that lead to drowsy driving accidents
Although there are regulations in place that limit the number of hours truckers are allowed to drive, truck drivers are particularly prone to be involved in drowsy driving accidents. Some of the factors that lead to drowsy driving accidents among truck drivers are:
- Inadequate sleep – Truck drivers, due to the nature of their profession, often get inadequate sleep. This can lead to fatigue, which in turn can lead to accidents.
- Prescription medication use – The use of prescription drugs is a common cause of drowsy driving. And although this isn’t as much of a problem today as it was in the past, truck drivers have been known to use stimulants to stay awake while on the job, and this can lead to crashes.
- Stress – Life on the road can be stressful, and stress can cause drowsiness, making truck drivers vulnerable to accidents.
- The effects of truck accidents caused by drowsy driving
- Drowsy driving accidents can result in a number of injuries, including:
- Head, neck, spine, back, and brain injuries – Due to the size and power of semi-trucks, the injuries suffered by those involved in truck collisions tend to be catastrophic. Brain, neck, and spine injuries tend to be particularly serious.
- Strains, sprains and pulled muscles – Though not as serious as the injuries mentioned above, strains, sprains, and pulled muscles can sometimes require surgery to heal. In addition, injuries requiring surgery sometimes result in serious infections.
- Broken bones – The impact of truck injuries can result in broken bones, which may render some victims unable to work. In addition, particularly serious fractures can require surgery.
- Cuts, scrapes, bruises, and abrasions – Any open wound can become serious if not treated. And bruises, depending on their severity, may require medical treatment.
Contact a Pensacola truck accident attorney
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Pensacola, Florida, you need an experienced Florida personal injury attorney on your side. Located in Pensacola, Florida, Staples, Ellis + Associates, P.A., has over seventy years of combined experience representing auto accident victims in Northwest Florida and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties. If you have been injured in a truck accident in Northwest Florida, Staples Ellis is here to help you overcome the harm you have endured. Please contact our office as soon as possible to set up a consultation with one of our talented attorneys.
Posted in: Auto Accidents