An accident with a semitruck can be catastrophic, especially since many trucks haul several thousand pounds of cargo and some of the shipments can contain hazardous liquids and materials. Many survivors of trucking accidents suffer from life-long injuries. While people often wonder what happens after a trucking accident, people should be asking the bigger questions: what causes trucking accidents?
Trucking accidents frequently occur because of the tucker’s health. Trucking isn’t a glamorous job and, despite how crucial their job is for the economy, rarely receive enough benefits to sustain their job long-term. As such, truckers suffer from a lot of physical and mental conditions in their line of work. Here’s what you should know:
The physical strain of trucking
Trucking might seem like the perfect job to many people who aren’t in that line of work; in their minds, all a trucker has to do is sit behind the wheel, make a few stops and enjoy the scenery – while the reality is a lot harsher.
Truckers are constantly under pressure to meet deadlines. Because of this, many truckers have to forgo sleep, hot meals, hygiene and exercise. While there are obvious solutions to these problems, it often comes with the risk of losing a job.
As these habits progress, truckers can develop health conditions that affect their job. A trucker’s health can slowly deteriorate as a result of living on the road. They may develop health conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
The mental struggle of trucking
Physical health isn’t the only thing truckers have to worry about; they also have to keep their mental health in check. For example, trucking is an isolating experience and, because of that, they might develop psychosis while away from family and friends.
In addition, because a trucker might be suffering from physical health problems, they may be at a higher risk of developing a mental condition. If a trucker doesn’t get enough sleep, then they may develop insomnia, which can lead to sleep deprivation. Likewise, high blood pressure and obesity can lead to depression, which may cause an eating disorder or other illnesses.
All of this can result in a serious car accident. However, it should be understood that a trucker isn’t always responsible for an accident. Sometimes a trucker is only following orders from their employer who, as a result, puts truckers and other drivers in increased danger as they ignore the needs of their workers.