If you spend a lot of time traveling Colorado's roadways, and in particular, its busy Interstate 70 corridor, you probably understand that sharing the road with large trucks presents a number of specific dangers. Truckers often face fatigue and tight timelines, and they sometimes engage in substance abuse and other dangerous driving behaviors to meet the demands of their job. It may surprise you to learn, however, that the length of a trucker's commute to work can also impact his or her ability to drive safely.
According to TruckingInfo.com, semi-truck drivers are increasingly facing longer commutes, with "longer" referring to any commute that lasts in excess of 150 minutes. Why? In places like Denver, for example, the high price of housing is forcing many people to live in more rural areas, where they often have no other option than to commute long distances to work.
When truckers spend an excessive amount of time behind the wheel before they even clock in, they are more likely to suffer fatigue and exhaustion, which hinders their driving and decision-making ability. More time on the road also means more time away from their families and other obligations, and some truckers sacrifice sleep to make up for the time they miss with their loved ones, further compounding the problem.
Truckers with especially long commutes are also more likely to have health issues and associated complications than those with shorter drive times. The long hours spent behind the wheel often leave truckers with little time for fitness and exercise, and unhealthy truckers are prone to higher blood pressure, among other medical issues . Particularly unhealthy truckers may also be more likely to suffer medical emergencies behind the wheel, which can endanger you and everyone else traveling the roadway.
This information about the dangers associated with long trucker commutes is informative, but it is not a replacement for legal advice.
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