The overwhelming majority of truck drivers are conscientious. They take care and ensure that both they and other drivers are safe. Nonetheless, there is no escaping the fact that trucks are much larger than other vehicles. What this means is that if something does go wrong, serious injuries and even fatalities can occur.
An often overlooked danger is hot temperatures. In California, temperatures can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. Why does this make trucks so dangerous?
Drivers can suffer cramps
Heat causes people to sweat and become dehydrated. The body may lose fluids quicker than it can replenish them, and electrolytes may disappear with sweat too. This means that truck drivers can be exposed to cramps.
Their arms may cramp, meaning that they cannot turn the steering wheel. The legs might cramp, meaning that the driver cannot operate the brake pedal. All of this potentially puts road users in danger.
Truck driver fatigue
Fatigue is a problem for truck drivers at the best of times. They work long hours and often struggle to sleep and take breaks. During hot temperatures, this issue is accelerated. A driver may suffer heat exhaustion, causing them to feel dizzy, sick and short of breath.
Heat stroke
Heat stroke is often thought of as minor, but it really isn’t. This occurs during high temperatures. The cab of a truck can feel like an oven and the driver may contract heatstroke and lose consciousness. The end result of this can be a devastating collision.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, finding out whether negligence was a factor could be important. If it was, then you may be entitled to financial compensation.
