Health of Truck Drivers a Factor in Truck Accidents?

The health of truck drivers may be a major factor in truck accidents.

2013-01-04

January 04, 2013 (Press-News.org) Truck accidents frequently cause death and serious injuries to occupants of passenger vehicles. The speed of the trucks as well as the size of the vehicles makes it difficult for truck drivers to make quick moves to avoid potential accidents. Often, when an accident happens, the smaller cars and trucks absorb the complete impact of the crash.

While many laws and design improvements have reduced the number of serious trucking accidents, officials have been trying to find ways to eliminate accidents completely. Much of the attention has been focused on truck drivers, and the companies that hire them. In fact, companies that now hire unsafe drivers can find themselves receiving substantial penalties, including high fines as well as potentially being ordered out of service for repeat violations.

The health of the truck driver has also become an issue receiving increased scrutiny. A study by researchers at the University of Minnesota took a closer look at the height and weight of new truck drivers to determine if there was any correlation between truck accidents and the health of the driver.

The team examined accidents and looked at the body mass index (BMI) levels of the drivers. It watched new drivers for two years, or until the drivers left the company that hired them. The study found that drivers with a body mass index above 35 percent were 43 to 55 percent more likely to be in an accident than those with normal BMI levels. A BMI score of 35 percent is considered to be extremely obese.

Drivers with BMIs lower than 35 percent did not see their accident rates increase as substantially, leading the researchers to believe that extremely out of shape drivers were the riskiest drivers on roadways.

One of the reasons for this could be related to sleep apnea. This condition makes drivers feel fatigued and in need of rest, even if the drivers receive a full night's sleep. Often, those with sleep apnea can feel tired all the time, which can lead to delayed reaction times while driving.

Regulators have been struggling with sleep apnea rules for quite some time. The trucking industry is reluctant to have rules in place, because they do not believe that there is a connection between truck drivers with sleep apnea and accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, speak to an experienced personal injury attorney in your area to understand what to do while you recover. It is important to understand the full extent of your injuries, because serious injuries will often require extensive rehabilitation and treatment. If you settle your claims too soon, you may not receive the compensation that you need to help pay your medical bills.

Article provided by Gillis & Gillis
Visit us at www.gillislawfirm.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Florida Police Officer Passes Field Sobriety Test After Wrong-Way Crash

2013-01-04

Anyone can be charged with a crime; however, we never expect those who protect the law to be suspected of the very crimes they are supposed to enforce. Nevertheless, in December 2012, a Sanford drunk driving investigator was forced to take a field sobriety test after troopers say he drove the wrong way on a road for several minutes and left the scene of an accident. According to reports, Sanford officers caught the police officer after he hit another car and subsequently drove off in his vehicle. The Sanford officers followed the suspect for at least 20 minutes as he ...

Tragic Train Accident in Texas Kills Wounded Veterans in Parade

2013-01-04

Four veterans were killed and 16 more were injured in a Texas train wreck in November. Veterans and their families were participating in a parade intended to honor wounded veterans for their military service. The flatbed truck upon which they were riding was driven onto a railroad crossing and a fast-moving train crashed into the truck, causing the fatalities and numerous injuries. Veterans and families bring lawsuit Two couples on the truck at the time of the accident brought a lawsuit against the railroad company and the company that provided the truck. The lawsuit ...

What Happens When the SSA Reviews Disability?

2013-01-04

After the Social Security Administration awards disability benefits to a person, the SSA periodically reviews the recipient's medical condition to see whether he or she still meets the SSA's definition of disabled and qualifies for benefits. People should be aware of what occurs during a disability review and how it could impact their benefits. How often does the SSA review disability? When the SSA makes an initial disability benefit award, it places the benefit recipient in one of three categories for review, based on the severity of the recipient's condition: - ...

Raising Your Credit: A Financial Plan After Bankruptcy

2013-01-04

If you file for bankruptcy, this financial event can remain on your credit report for approximately 10 years. The process will create a dip in your credit score, making it difficult to secure loans for big-ticket items such as a home or car. Furthermore, if you do obtain a loan, the interest rate could be significant. The good news is that you can take strategic steps to raise your credit score after bankruptcy. Working your way through the process will increase the likelihood of obtaining big loans within just a couple of years. Creditors know that a recent bankruptcy ...

Sex Discrimination in the Executive Workplace

2013-01-04

Sex discrimination can happen to anyone and can happen anywhere, including at high executive levels and in professions requiring substantial education. A real life example One real life example comes from a lawsuit recently filed alleging sex discrimination. The plaintiff is a woman who began working for a well-known venture capital firm in the mid-2000s. The woman has degrees in engineering, law and business and claimed to be a perfect fit for the firm. A year or so after working as a junior partner, she had an intimate relationship with a colleague. When she ended ...

Federal Government Proposes New Student Loan Repayment Plan

2013-01-04

These days, it is nearly impossible to leave college without having taken out some student loans. Unfortunately, given the job market, finding a job to pay back those loans can seem like an equally daunting task. The federal government is considering a change to the student loan repayment system, hoping that the move could reduce default rates while improving fairness in the system. The proposal, which is modeled after the loan repayment system in the United Kingdom, would make automatic withdrawals from borrowers' paychecks. Loan payments would be tied to borrowers' ...

Changes to Wisconsin's Impaired Driving Law Needed to Address 'Huffing'

2013-01-04

In Wisconsin, patrolling officers have seen a sharp increase in the number of people "huffing" and driving. Huffing involves the inhaling of hazardous contents of a spray can to get high. While the law is still evolving to include this practice in standardized vehicle codes, to date, huffing can be a form of reckless driving, which endangers other motorists on the road. Huffing and car accident cases In recent months, Oshkosh Police responded to two traffic crashes involving drivers suspected of huffing hazardous substances. In November 2012, police received ...

Data Shows Lax Enforcement of Georgia Texting While Driving Law

2013-01-04

Texting while driving is against the law in Georgia. However, according to data published recently in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the prohibition may not be doing much to keep motorists safe. This is because law enforcement officials rarely punish drivers for violating the anti-texting law. The law went into effect on July 1, 2010. Since then, data from the Department of Driver Services shows that only 1,281 drivers have been convicted of texting while driving -- an average of less than 50 per month. The State Patrol says that its troopers only cite an average ...

Foreclosures Remain High in New Jersey

2013-01-04

Most of the country recently experienced a reprieve from the foreclosure epidemic plaguing the nation - unfortunately New Jersey was not included in this reprieve. While the nation as a whole enjoyed a 17 percent drop in the number of homes foreclosed upon - when compared to last year - New Jersey suffered an increase of more than one percent in foreclosed homes, according to a monthly report from CoreLogic. In addition, the same report shows that New Jersey ranks second in the nation in the percentage of homes in foreclosure - 7.7 percent in the process of defaulting, ...

Attend the Battle of Cowpens Anniversary Celebration and Stay at Nearby Hampton Inn Gaffney Hotel

2013-01-04

Hampton Inn Gaffney South Carolina Hotel offers convenient lodging to guests attending the Battle of Cowpens 232nd Anniversary Celebration. Taking place at Cowpens National Battlefield, SC on January 19-20, 2013, the celebration will include two days of special talks, guided battlefield walks, weapons firing, calvary, and domestic skills demonstration. All activities are FREE! Visit www.nps.gov/cowp/specialevents.htm for more information. Special presentations and featured authors will include: - Dr. Melissa Walker, Converse College, author of The Battles of Kings ...

Health of Truck Drivers a Factor in Truck Accidents?

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: