Truck drivers in Hollywood, Miami, and other communities in South Florida have a big responsibility: they need to deliver cargo safely and on time while taking steps to drive safely. Truck drivers often have to drive on unfamiliar roads and share the road with much smaller vehicles. In some cases, they need to drive on narrow city streets not designed for larger big rigs and tractor trailers.
In order to get a commercial license, truck drivers need to undergo extensive training and testing to ensure they’re safe drivers. In fact, the extra training and screening mean truckers are among the safer motorists on our roads: statistics show that in most car-truck collisions, truck drivers are not at fault.
Some truck drivers go above and beyond when it comes to safety and they take extra steps to create safe roadways for us all. These drivers:
1) Seek out extra training.
While truck drivers with commercial licenses get more hours of training than many motorists, some truck drivers seek out additional training. In some cases, truck companies offer their employees additional classes or courses. In many cases, truck drivers themselves develop their skills and make the effort to learn more, in some cases entering driving competitions to showcase their abilities. Along the way, they become better drivers and safer on the roads as they learn more.
2) Get serious about their health.
Driver a tanker or eighteen wheeler can have a big impact on health. It’s a sedentary job, and one where the most accessible meals are often fast food. Studies have shown truck drivers are vulnerable to obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiac issues, and other medical conditions. In addition, since truck drivers spend so much time on the road it can be difficult to get to doctors to manage or diagnose health conditions.
In some cases, the health effects of driving a truck can become a safety issue. For example, sleep apnea can lead to fatigued driving and crashes while high blood pressure can lead to cardiac events on the road. Each year, medical conditions cause traffic accidents in Hollywood and across the country.
Some truck drivers are getting serious about becoming healthier and safer drivers. Some drivers have started new lifestyles, making their own food in their cabs and exercises during rest breaks. Drivers have taken to social media to share tips and suggestions for other drivers wanting to make positive changes. In doing so, they’re arming others with ways to stay healthier and safer behind the wheel.
3) Take steps to protect their personal safety.
Unfortunately, trucking can be a dangerous job, and not just because of the risk of rollovers in Hollywood and collisions in Miami. Each year, thieves target trucks because of the valuable cargo they carry. Some drivers have been attacked and harmed by criminals. In other cases, fleeing thieves can cause collisions because they’re not used to driving 18-wheelers or larger trucks. Many truck drivers take their personal safety seriously so they can protect their cargo and other drivers on the road.
If you’ve been injured in a traffic accident in Hollywood or South Florida or if you’re a truck driver and have suffered an on-the-road injury or an illness because of your job, find out whether you have a claim for compensation – contact Flaxman Law Group today for a free accident consultation to discuss your situation with a member of our law firm.