Distractions behind the wheel can prove deadly, and driving a truck safely requires careful attention to the task at hand. When a trucker’s attention is drawn away from the road ahead and from the traffic on that road, it can be all it takes to cause a life-threatening accident. Distractions are categorized as manual distractions that take a driver’s hand or hands off the wheel, visual distractions that divert a driver’s gaze, and cognitive distractions that capture a driver’s thoughts, and one of the only distractions to incorporate all three is texting. It takes about five seconds to read or send a text, and the thought of a truck driver taking his or her eyes off the road for that amount of time is truly terrifying.

When a motorist is under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, it can affect muscle control (including a decrease in one’s ability to focus his or her eyes), can decrease inhibitions, can lead to poor judgment (such as getting behind the wheel in the first place), can cause cognitive impairment, and can decrease coordination. It’s a lot. Suffice to say that truck driver impairment is so dangerous that state and federal governments share a zero-tolerance stance.

Exhaustion clouds our ability to think straight, to make sound decisions, and to concentrate, and all of these effects make truck drivers less safe drivers. There are very careful hours-of-service restrictions on the books for truck drivers to help ensure that they aren’t exhausted behind the wheel.

Speed plays a pivotal role in far too many serious accidents on our roadways, and this includes truck accidents. Truck drivers are responsible for adjusting their speed in relation to the condition of the road. While the speed limit applies when conditions are ideal, truckers must reduce their speed in accordance with the effects of inclement weather, the condition of the road, and/or any other factors that affect safe driving.