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What can you do to prevent drowsy driving?

On Behalf of | Jul 12, 2018 | Truck Accidents

You have recently been hired as a truck driver in Georgia and are learning about different safety topics to help you drive a big rig with confidence and responsibility. One of the points of concern that your employer has mentioned is driver fatigue. Fortunately, there are prevention techniques that you can implement from the get go to help you stay alert and avoid the dangerous habit of drowsy driving.

As you may have begun to notice, being a truck driver often means you are required to work long hours, travel far distances in consecutive hours and drive during the nighttime. In situations where your freight’s arrival is highly anticipated, you may be feeling the pressure of delivering it on time despite feeling too tired to carry on. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, statistics have shown that nearly 13 percent of all truck-related accidents were caused by drivers who were fatigued at the time of the accident. They suggest some great tips to help you avoid becoming one of those statistics. Some of the things you can do include the following:

  • Never take medications that make you feel drowsy if you plan to be traveling for a while. 
  • Do not think that just because you are eating, listening to music or drinking caffeine that you are no longer at risk of falling asleep if you are feeling tired. 
  • During your periods of rest, make sure you get enough sleep and use the time to recover and refresh. 
  • Be aware of symptoms that indicate that you are getting tired. If they become too prevalent, pull over and take a nap.

The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. 

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