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Driver Fatigue

Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people feel tired during the workday, but sleep fatigue among commercial truck drivers can create deadly risks.

A recent National Sleep Foundation study measured the sleep health of truckers, pilots, train engineers, and other transportation workers. It compared their results to workers outside the industry and found a clear problem: more than one in ten commercial drivers admitted that they felt dangerously tired while working.

Many truck drivers also said they rarely get enough sleep on work nights. Over 40% reported insufficient rest, and nearly 30% of bus, taxi, and limo drivers said the same. This lack of sleep has led to frequent close calls. Almost 15% of truck drivers admitted they nearly caused a truck accident because of fatigue.

Irregular work hours often disrupt healthy sleep patterns for commercial drivers. HealthDay reports that the lead NSF researcher urges employers to create schedules that support normal, consistent sleep to reduce fatigue.

Although all drivers face drowsiness at times, tired truck drivers pose far greater risks because of the size and force of their vehicles. These dangers are a major reason why federal safety regulations exist.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration enforces Hours of Service rules that require commercial truck drivers to track their driving hours and rest breaks. Drivers may work up to 14 hours per day, with a maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel. After reaching these limits, they must take at least 10 consecutive hours off duty. They also may not work more than 60 hours in seven days or 70 hours in eight days. A driver may restart the weekly cycle after 34 hours off duty.

However, even with these laws, no one can force a driver to sleep during rest periods, and everyone on the road still depends on each truck driver’s alertness.