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Truck Accidents

Drug use can and does lead to car accidents every day in the United States. Professional drivers, like semi-truck drivers, know the risks well. Even so, many of them do use alcohol and other drugs while they’re behind the wheel. These can lead to devastating accidents when an impaired driver is at the controls of an 80,000-pound vehicle.

Why do truck drivers use these substances? One of the main reasons that experts point to is simple isolation.

Truck driving often sounds appealing to those who do not do it. They think you just ride in the truck all day, you get to see the country, you get to meet new people in every city and you do not have to deal with customers or co-workers.

The reality, though, is that this situation creates a serious sense of isolation. Many truckers put in 70 hours of work in eight days. They have to sleep in the truck, rather than going home to the family, like many workers in other occupations. They do not get to spend time with co-workers, just briefly connecting with others during pick-ups and drop-offs.

They get bored. Some get depressed. When they’re on the road for long hours, they get tired. All of these issues can cause them to turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with such a difficult, isolated profession. That, in turn, can lead to some of the most serious car accidents in Texas.

Have you been hit by a truck driver who was using drugs or alcohol? These cases can get complex when trucking companies get involved, and you must know your legal options.

Author Photo

Michael Zimmerman

Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.

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