What many people see when a semitruck drives by is a well-oiled machine, carrying thousands of commodities, driven by someone equipped for the job. What people don’t realize is that trucks are often poorly maintained and driven by someone unfit for the job. The mental and physical dangers of truck driving can be extreme.
You may be asking what exactly makes the job so dangerous. Here’s what you should know:
Trucking has mental and physical risks that affect everyone on the road
Trucking can be a great job for people who don’t have a family to see and aren’t worried about their health. Truck drivers may constantly be on the streets around people, but they adhere to the isolation of their trucks. It can be mentally draining for a trucker to stay isolated away from much-needed socializing.
Truckers often don’t have the chance to make a pit stop for a hot meal, a quick stretch and a rest. To keep up with shipping deadlines, truckers may have to pass truck stops and miss out on much-needed rest stops. Poor diets and a lack of exercise can also take a toll on their overall health.
Eventually, the lack of sleep truckers need can turn to exhaustion and lead to physical and emotional issues. Truckers can develop emotional issues like depression without the chance to stay active and healthy.
A trucker’s health issues can lead to mistakes behind the wheel and tragic or deadly collisions.
Not all truckers have the proper training to handle the job
Recent trucking shortages have pushed states to lower the age requirements for truckers. People 18 to 21 years of age can now legally drive semitrucks within their state. These truckers may be hitting the roads without the proper driving experience, putting other drivers (and themselves) at risk of injuries.
These younger truckers may only have a few years driving, but not nearly enough to go straight to driving a truck. Younger truckers can easily collide with the drivers around them when they don’t know how to drive a semitruck properly.
If you have recently been in an accident with a semitruck then you may need legal assistance to help get the compensation needed for your medical bills and other losses.