Whether you are driving on an open road on a sunny day or stuck between lanes of traffic, the trucks around you should always give you the proper following distance.
When you begin to notice unsafe driving habits from truck drivers, you may not know the reasons why. Distractions can cause truckers to look away from the steering wheel and fail to react in time to dangerous situations.
Tiredness and lack of sleep
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, even one night of poor sleep can lead to an increase in distraction and bad driving decisions. This can be especially dangerous when someone operates a truck since these vehicles take longer to come to a complete stop and can do more damage to a smaller car or motorcycle.
Trying to multitask
If a person is opening a bottle of water or trying to type out a message on their phone, their mind and hands are not focused on what is in front of them. In today’s world, it can be hard to avoid the urge to complete multiple tasks at once.
A trucker should always have their full attention on the road and the traffic surrounding them. This is even more important in rainy or icy weather since slick roads can lead to a truck skidding and crashing into a car.
Using headphones
When someone wishes to hear music more clearly, they may put on headphones while driving a truck to pass the time. However, this music can distract someone from the sounds of the road around them and important cues from other cars, such as honking.
Knowing what distractions lead to an accident can help you while you share the road with trucks.