Truck drivers earn their living on the road, making them particularly prone to auto accidents. Due to the power of commercial trucks, the injuries caused by truck accidents tend to be severe. A major cause of truck accidents in Florida is drowsy driving. As we discuss below, drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as other types of impaired driving.
The Causes of Drowsy Driving Truck Accidents
There are many causes of drowsy driving truck accidents, including:
Not enough sleep – Although there are laws in place that restrict the number of hours that truck drivers can be on the road, truckers often violate these laws. When truckers violate these restrictions, they often get inadequate amounts of sleep, placing themselves and other drivers at risk.
Prescription drug use – Prescription drugs, whether taken legally or illegally, are a common cause of drowsy driving. Although stimulant use by truck drivers isn’t as common today due to restrictions on the number of hours that truck drivers can work, truckers still sometimes use pain killers and other prescription drugs while on the road. Many of these drugs, even if legally prescribed, cause drowsiness.
Stress – Finally, life as a truck driver can be stressful. Stress, especially when experienced over a long period of time, can cause fatigue, and this can lead to truck accidents.
Common drowsy driving truck accident injuries
Accidents caused by drowsy truck drivers can result in a variety of injuries, including:
Sprains, strains, and pulled muscles – Although these injuries aren’t often thought of as being very serious, sprains, strains, and pulled muscles can take a long time to heal and can even require surgery. Also, truck accident victims who require surgery due to these types of injuries sometimes develop serious infections.
Head, spine, neck, and brain injuries – When a semi-truck and a car collide, the driver of the car often suffers serious injuries. Head, spine, neck, and brain injuries are common results of semi-truck accidents, and they can be life-changing.
Fractures – A collision with a semi-truck can result in broken bones. Although some broken bones require minimal medical intervention to heal, serious fractures can require surgery.
Cuts, bruises, scrapes, and abrasions – As with any automobile accident, truck accidents often result in cuts, bruises, scrapes, and abrasions. An open wound can become serious if not treated properly, and even bruises sometimes require medical attention.
Contact a Pensacola Truck Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Pensacola, Florida, you need an experienced legal team in your corner. Located in Pensacola, Florida, the knowledgeable truck accident attorneys of Staples, Ellis + Associates, P.A., have over seventy years of combined experience representing auto accident victims in Northwest Florida and Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton Counties. At Staples Ellis, we are dedicated to ensuring that you receive financial compensation for your Florida truck accident injury. Please contact our office as soon as possible to arrange a consultation with one of our talented attorneys.
Posted in: Truck Accidents