A recent study by the University of Utah School of Medicine indicates that the health of a truck driver may influence how likely it is that they will be involved in an accident. Researchers looked at the medical records of almost 50,000 commercial truck drivers and their crash histories.
Of the commercial truckers that researchers studied, 34 percent had a health issue associated with poor driving performance. Health issues of these types include diabetes, heart conditions and lower back pain. Many truckers find it difficult to stay healthy since their job requires spending a lot of time sitting. Additionally, it is not uncommon for truckers to eat poor diets.
It was discovered that drivers with three health conditions related to poor performance were more likely than others to have been involved in a crash. Drivers with at least three of the health conditions had a rate of accidents involving injuries of 93 per 100 million miles traveled. On the other hand, the rate among all drivers was 29 per 100 million miles traveled. The conclusion of researchers is that decreasing health is associated with an increasing risk of accidents.
Commercial truck accidents can be incredibly dangerous and expensive. Due to the weight of a semi and its cargo, which can combine for up to 80,000 pounds, crash damage to vehicles and injuries to people can be very severe. In some cases, a trucking company may be held liable for an accident if safety regulations weren’t followed in relation to the truck or driver. A lawyer could assist a crash victim in determining if a company is liable and seeking accident-related compensation.