Have you ever had one cup of coffee or soda too many? Did it leave you feeling jittery, distracted and irritable? Do you start to make foolish mistakes? Since we’re a nation of sleep-deprived people, it’s a common problem that almost every adult American has experienced at one time or another.
Now, imagine you just overloaded on caffeine and then got behind the wheel of a big rig for a long trip down the highway. The harsh reality for many truckers is that they don’t have to imagine that situation: They live it.
A study that looked at the caffeine consumption of 3,000 truck drivers across eight different states concluded that excessive consumption of caffeine — amounting to about five cups of coffee or more per day — is linked to an increase in crashes among truckers.
Excessive caffeine consumption by truckers is also linked to poor sleep habits, increased alcohol consumption, smoking, unhealthy diets and poorer overall health. Nobody really knows, however, whether it’s the caffeine consumption driving the other problems or the other problems driving the extra caffeine consumption. Truckers are under enormous stress to make their deliveries on time — especially now that many folks have begun to rely on online shopping and home deliveries. All that researchers know is that drivers who drink too much caffeine are 6.2% more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers that don’t.
Regardless of the cause, a wreck with a commercial vehicle has the potential to be absolutely devastating to the victims involved. If you’ve been injured due to a negligent driver or your loved one was killed, you owe it to yourself to find out what it takes to make an effective claim for compensation. Don’t let the insurance companies talk you into taking less than you are due.
