Truck driver fatigue can be a dangerous killer on New Jersey roadways and the highways of America. Trucking is critical to the U.S. economy as over 7 million people work in the industry and over 70 percent of the nation’s cargo is transported in semi-trucks. Almost half of all people who work in the industry are themselves truck drivers. While truck driving can be a lucrative profession, turnover rates are often greater than 90 percent as the grueling schedule can be difficult for drivers to handle.
The average American truck driver is driving on the roadways for around 70 hours in each eight-day work week. This means that truck driver fatigue can not only be a challenge to them completing their routes but also pose a severe risk of motor vehicle accidents with their attendant injuries and even fatalities. Around 100,000 truck accidents each year are caused by truck driver fatigue across the country. Various initiatives are dedicated to attempting to reduce the risks of driver fatigue behind the wheel.
One such project, developed by a group of recent college graduates, intends to use safety software and wearable devices to warn drivers that they may be facing a dangerously fatigued state. The software, called BlyncSync, is designed to connect with bands that measure heart rates and smart safety glasses to capture truck driver fatigue as it happens and alert drivers to take a break off the road.
Truck accidents are particularly important to avoid because one semi-truck accident can cause catastrophic injuries or fatalities for other drivers, passengers and even pedestrians on the road. People who have been injured in a crash due to truck driver fatigue or other dangerous driving behavior may wish to speak with a personal injury lawyer. An attorney may help accident victims to seek compensation for their damages, including lost wages and medical bills.