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There are so many things that can go wrong and cause a truck to crash on I-75. For example, brakes may fail, tires can go flat, or the truck may not have been well maintained. While problems with trucks causes its fair share of accidents, truck drivers also do their part in contributing to crashes.
Main Causes of Truck Accidents in Florida
Unfortunately, two of the main causes of truck crashes in Florida and nationwide occur due to drowsy driving and drug use by truck drivers. While the later may sound like all truckers take illegal drugs, this is not the case. While there are some that may drive while intoxicated by illegal drugs, generally, the situation truck drivers find themselves in is that they take medications—prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs—to help them with the following:
- Staying awake on the road.
- Fighting off allergies.
- Treating their health conditions.
- Combating the common cold.
With allergy season in full swing, many people—including truck drivers—take over-the-counter drugs to help treat their watery eyes, runny nose, and itchy throat. Unfortunately, medications used to treat hayfever and allergies can impair one’s ability to drive. This means that if truck drivers take these drugs, the medication could affect their coordination, vision, concentration, and reaction times. Interestingly enough, most drivers don’t realize that allergy medications can affect their ability to drive safely.
Because truck drivers will lose out on jobs and money if they take time off to rest and treat their allergies, colds, or other medical issues, most find that popping pills help them continue their drives. Unfortunately, taking any medication while operating a large truck can cause problems and lead to truck accidents. In fact, over 40 percent of truck wrecks in this nation are caused by some sort of drug use, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Although truck crashes total a fewer number than passenger vehicle crashes, any collision involving a large truck is almost always severe due to the sheer size of the truck alone. Sadly, serious injuries, disabilities, and even death can occur when a truck and car collide. In 2012, the most recent year for which data is available, 3,921 people were killed in truck crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In order to stay as safe as you can behind the wheel, it is important to refrain from taking prescriptions or over-the-counter allergy medications. Please share this information with others on Google Plus to keep our Sarasota roadways as safe as possible.
