Sharing the road with commercial trucks is an inevitable part of life for residents of Louisiana and the United States, but for many motorists, navigating their way around these large, heavy vehicles can be an anxiety-inducing experience. When cars and trucks collide with one another, the smaller vehicles typically find themselves on the losing end, which is why it is especially important that truck drivers stay sober, drive safely and otherwise exercise care when traveling. There is a hidden danger that appears to be affecting truck drivers’ performances nowadays, however, and it involves the long trucker commute.
According to TruckerInfo.com, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is concerned enough about the potential effects long commutes have on truck drivers that the administration wants a survey conducted to determine just how much of a danger exists for other motorists. The agency notes that, as population increases continue and many truck drivers find themselves priced out of major housing markets, these same truckers must move long distances away from their company headquarters, which can hinder job performance.
How? Semi-truck drivers who travel more than 150 minutes just to get to work may find that these exceptionally long commutes have adverse effects on their overall performance. More specifically, these long trucker commutes may make them more likely to suffer fatigue and related issues once they get behind the wheel of commercial trucks, which in turn can affect reaction time, alertness and so on.
In addition to having less time to sleep or enjoy leisure time, truckers with particularly long commutes also tend to have more health issues. Many such drivers have high blood pressure, heart issues and other medical ailments that can potentially impact driving ability and increase the odds of them having emergency medical episodes behind the wheel.
This information about long trucker commutes is educational in nature and is not a substitute for legal advice.