Driving trucks is one of America’s more dangerous professions. Commercial drivers travel across the country while hauling goods from one location to the next. Many drivers often face drives that may require many hours and long distances on the road to make even a single delivery. This may require drivers to continue driving well into the late hours of the night. In fact, many truck drivers prefer to sleep during the day and drive at night because there is often significantly less traffic on the highways.
While it may be convenient, driving at night can be particularly dangerous for commercial truck drivers. If they are not careful, truck drivers may cause an accident that could result in serious injury or death of themselves, another driver, or both.
The Dark Cover of Night
Driving at night compromises a truck driver’s vision. Dark conditions reduce depth perception, affect color recognition, and compromise a driver’s peripheral vision. As a result, truck drivers may find the road ahead to be more dangerous.
The dark conditions which compromise a truck driver’s vision can increase the risk of an accident. Even with headlights and high-beams, truck drivers may find that they have limited visibility. Limited visibility affects a driver’s ability to timely react to road hazards. This is even more dangerous when traveling across interstates as most vehicles are often traveling at a faster speed.
Driving at night also creates dangerous conditions for other drivers. A truck’s lights may temporarily blind drivers in other vehicles, especially those in oncoming traffic. The temporary blindness caused by a truck’s lights can force a vehicle off the road or keep oncoming traffic from seeing hazards up ahead, thereby leading to an accident.
Age may also impact a driver’s vision. Our vision deteriorates as we age. Older drivers require more light in order to see as well as younger drivers. An older driver driving at night may be more likely to cause an accident as a result of the dark driving conditions.
Rush Hour
Truck drivers are not confined to our nation’s highways. Many trucks must make routine trips into cities. Truck drivers encounter a significant amount of traffic when entering cities. Scheduling can require drivers to enter cities during the evening rush hour. This can be particularly dangerous in fall and winter months because the sun sets earlier. A truck driver, especially one who is not accustomed to such driving conditions, may have difficulty adjusting, and he or she may cause an accident as a result.
Fatigue
Truck drivers travel several miles over the course of several hours on a regular basis. Although truck stops and diners famously line our nation’s roadways, truck drivers may make less frequent stops in hopes of sooner reaching their destination. This can be dangerous as drivers may experience fatigue. Fatigue can result in a lack of driver focus or may cause the driver to fall asleep at the wheel. This practice can cause serious accidents. Fatigue can especially develop if a truck driver violates the hours of service restrictions enacted and enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).1
CONTACT A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY TODAY
Accidents involving trucks can be very serious and perhaps even life-threatening. The risk of an accident increases whenever truck drivers drive at night. A truck driver’s negligence should not go unpunished. Victims of accidents caused by truck drivers deserve just compensation for their injuries and any expenses they must incur. Our team of truck accident attorneys at the Dolman Law Group in Clearwater, Florida have the knowledge and experience necessary to carefully evaluate your case in order to plan and execute an effective legal strategy necessary for you to receive the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (727) 853-6275 for a free consultation.
Dolman Law Group
5435 Main Street
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 853-6275
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/new-port-richey-truck-accident-lawyer/
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