Truck Crashes And Truck Driver Burnout

The luxury of on-line shopping means that the items that were purchased last night could arrive at your home the next day. Behind this almost instant gratification is the high demand of commercial truck drivers to get these goods from the warehouse to your doorstep. This not only leads to an increase in large trucks and other commercial vehicles on the roadways but also presents concerns when it comes to overworked and fatigued truck drivers.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT BEING TIRED

Truck driver burnout is a very real concern in Maryland and other states across the nation. This is not just about a truck driver being tired. It is a culmination of factors, such as being overworked, fatigued, bored and unhappy. It is something that a good night’s sleep cannot alleviate, and it is something that can present major risks to travelers on the roadways.

WHAT IS TRUCK DRIVER BURNOUT?

There are three components to truck driver burnout. The first is physical and mental exhaustion. For commercial truck drivers, this could mean a very demanding schedule of package deliveries and pickups. The second component is having cynicism about the job, resulting in the truck driver to desire to distance him or herself from the job.

The final component is losing confident in abilities and skills. A truck who once thought that they did important work that they were good at now begins to think that their work is no longer important and they are not good at it anymore.

With these three factors, a truck driver could experience burnout, causing them to not perform well behind the wheel. And when safety is compromised, this could result in a serious truck crash.

OPTIONS FOLLOWING A TRUCK CRASH

Commercial trucks, such as delivery trucks, are much larger in size and weight than a passenger vehicle. As a result, the damages in a crash are often more intense. Additionally, the injuries suffered by a victim of a truck accident can be severe, causing the victim to suffer beyond just the pain of the injuries but also mentally, emotionally and financially as well. A legal claim, such as a personal injury action, could help an accident victim in their efforts to assign liability to a truck driver and recover compensation for the losses suffered.