Fatigue is a major factor in commercial vehicle crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In Georgia, where state law bans texting for all drivers, but allows drivers to use hand-held devices, distracted driving plays a large role in highway crashes, as well.
Not only can driver fatigue be a significant factor in fatal truck accidents across the country, it is a notoriously difficult problem to monitor and control. The FMCSA states that regulations are widely violated. Death and injury are at risk when tired truck drivers operate large commercial vehicles. Their negligence can result in the wrongful death of other drivers and passengers on the road.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, distracted driving kills nine people each day in the U.S., and injures an additional 1,153. In 2012, 3,328 people were killed because of distracted driving, which may include texting, talking on a cell phone, eating, or using an onboard navigation device.
The World Health Organization reports that a driver who uses a phone or other device is four times more likely to be in a vehicle crash than a driver who is not. The statistic remains the same whether a truck driver is holding a phone, or whether he or she is using a hands-free device. The danger lies in the cognitive, or thinking, behavior, not in the physical action. Unfortunately, a quick call while driving a truck may be distraction enough to result in the irretrievable loss of a loved one.
