A Silent Menace: Truckers Under the Influence in North Palm Beach

We’ve all been warned about operating heavy machinery when we take medication. It makes sense: our reflexes are dulled, our responses slow, and we could easily make a mistake that could cause injuries.

But what if that “heavy machinery” was barreling down a highway at 60 miles per hour?

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 Unfortunately, those injuries happen every day when truck drivers, under the influence, get behind the wheel in Florida-and the injuries they cause are rarely their own.

 A few facts you may not know about trucking accidents in North Palm Beach:

• According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, over-the-counter drug use is the third-highest cause of trucking accidents in the country, and prescription drug use ranks at number eight.
• 98 percent of fatalities in tractor-trailer accidents involve a smaller car’s driver and passengers.
• The average motor vehicle weighs 3,000 pounds. A semi rig can weigh 80,000 pounds-more if the trailer has been overloaded-causing over ten times the damage as a two-car collision.

 As experienced North Palm Beach semi accident attorneys, we’ve seen the devastation 18-wheelers can cause when they collide with smaller vehicles-but if the truck driver is impaired, the damages can be even more extensive. Florida truck drivers under the influence are more likely to cause fatal accidents due to:

• Heavy loads. Any driver under the influence can cause damage, but under a semi’s two-ton weight, the force of impact in truck accidents can completely crush the other vehicle.
• Decreased awareness. Due to the number of smaller vehicles around them, truck drivers should be operating their rigs in a state of maximum awareness. Even a slight amount of alcohol can cause a trucker to overlook a pedestrian crossing, or misjudge the following distance between cars.
• High speeds. Drivers under the influence of prescription drugs will often have dulled senses, and will often increase speed without noticing. This not only makes an accident more likely, but makes the destruction in the accident more severe.
• Dulled responses. A driver under the influence is less likely to brake before an accident, compounding the damage done by high speed to the massive force of a semi’s impact.

 Consequences for truckers driving under the influence are severe. Even one DUI citation can cost a trucker his license-if he is held accountable for his actions.

If someone you love has been injured as a result of an impaired truck driver, we can help you receive compensation for your suffering. Call us today at (866)-865-1244 for a free consultation.