Drowsy driving is a continued and prevalent issue among drivers today. Though any drowsy driver proves dangerous to the road, drowsy truckers are a bigger threat than most. Why? Simply due to the size and weight of their vehicle, in many cases.
Unfortunately, the trucking industry is also rife with behavior that does not condemn drowsy driving. But does the industry itself contribute to this?
The effects of drowsiness
The Sleep Foundation discusses several risks associated with driving drowsy. Drowsiness often affects the body in ways similar to intoxication. This means drowsy drivers have a harder time concentrating, reacting to their surroundings and multitasking. Their mental and physical reflexes often suffer as well, making it difficult for them to handle risky situations involving snap decisions well.
Trucking industry incentivization
In the trucking industry, there is a culture that often treats drowsy driving as a simple hazard of the job. Unfortunately, the trucking industry itself may have a hand in contributing to this. Even worse, trucking companies sometimes even encourage drowsy driving. They do this through incentivizing truckers getting more deliveries done in a shorter period of time, or traveling longer distances in fewer hours. Thus, truckers might pass up on the opportunity to sleep in favor of forcing themselves to drive those few extra miles for that bonus.
Though this might not be the exact intention, it is the end result. Many ex-truck drivers seek to bring light to the potential toxic mindsets and incentives that happen within the industry. After all, this is a problem that affects every driver on the road and not just truckers.