Truckers More Likely to Crash If Their Health Is Poor

Mississippi drivers who often share the roadways with semi trucks may be interested to learn that a study has shown that truck drivers who suffered medical issues in the past may be more likely to crash than truck drivers who are healthier. Specifically, drivers who had three or more health issues have a crash risk that is quadruple that of drivers who have not.

For the study, medical records for approximately 50,000 commercial truck drivers were analyzed. Approximately 34 percent of the drivers had at least one health issue that was associated with poor driving performance. The crash history of the drivers was also analyzed. It was discovered that the crash rate was 93 per 100 million miles traveled for drivers who had at least three of the associated health conditions. When all of the drivers were included, the crash rate was 29 per 100 million miles.

Ultimately, the results of the study show that crash rates increase as drivers’ health decreases. However, truck drivers can often find it very difficult to remain healthy as they are required to sit for long periods of time in order to do their job. They are also more likely to eat and sleep poorly due to being on the road often.

Truck accidents can cause occupants of other smaller vehicles to suffer serious injuries. If there is evidence that the truck driver who caused the accident was not fit to drive, a personal injury attorney may assist with filing a lawsuit against the truck driver and the trucking company itself, seeking appropriate compensation for the losses that the victims have sustained.