Study shows more truckers are being deprived of sleep

In Louisiana and throughout the country, more and more commercial truckers are getting poor sleep. A study from Ball State University researchers ranked the industries that have the highest percentage of sleep-deprived workers, and the transportation and material moving industry was in the top four.

The study involved some 150,000 adults. Overall, there has been a rise in sleep deprivation from 2010 to 2018. Whereas 30.9% of respondents said they experience poor sleep in 2010, 35.6% said the same in 2018. Half of respondents who were military members or police officers said they suffer from lack of sleep. This was followed by 45% of health care workers, 41% of truckers and 41% of those in production.

Men were found to be more sleep-deprived than women were. The older workers are, the more likely they are to be sleep-deprived. It makes sense, then, that truckers, who are mostly older men, would rank high on the list. Multiracial individuals as well as divorced, separated and widowed individuals saw the largest increase in sleep deprivation.

Though researchers did not identify a cause behind the upward trend, factors like workplace stress are no doubt contributing to it. Another factor is the greater availability of smartphones and other electronic tech. People tend to stay up late using these.

Truck driver fatigue can be the result of overwork or a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea. Whatever the case, it is normally traced to negligence on the part of the driver or the company. When such negligence plays a part in a car crash, the injured party has good grounds for a claim. A successful settlement could cover things like vehicle repair costs, medical bills and lost wages, but victims may not want to pursue it without legal assistance.