You already maintain your brakes, wear a seatbelt, and practice defensive driving. So why compromise truck safety by driving while tired? Although it may be easy to justify driving when you’re a bit drowsy, this practice can endanger you and other drivers.

Drowsy Driving At a Glance

Each year, an estimated 100,000 police-reported crashes are attributed to driving while drowsy. However, that estimate may be conservative—a report released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that nearly 300,000 crashes annually involve a drowsy driver, with over a third of them causing injury and over 6,000 resulting in fatalities.

What Makes Drowsy Driving Dangerous?

One of the biggest reasons drowsiness threatens truck safety is because it slows your reaction time and makes you less aware of your surroundings. In fact, if you haven’t slept in 20 hours, you’re as impaired as you would be with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08%—the legal limit in the United States. You’re also at risk of falling asleep briefly and losing control of your vehicle.

How Can I Maximize Truck Safety While Tired?

The best way to avoid drowsy driving is to stay well-rested with a steady sleep pattern. That isn’t always possible for truck drivers, so it’s important that you know the signs of drowsiness and take the appropriate steps when you’re tired. If you’re blinking or yawning frequently, you’re drifting from your lane, or you’re struggling to remember the last few minutes of your drive, it’s time to pull over or find a rest stop to get some sleep before continuing.

If you’re looking to become a truck driver, good truck safety starts with professional instruction. The experts at Professional Driver Institute in Churchville, NY, have been preparing drivers for fulfilling careers since 1993. In just one month, they’ll get you licensed and ready to drive professionally, saving you money on long-term instruction. They also offer tools for current drivers, like refresher courses and further certifications. Learn more about their classes online, and call (585) 293-1203 with any questions.