Truck drivers play an important role in the movement of goods and services through the country’s borders to sustain commerce. It is, however, sometimes just acutely stressful considering the pressure that comes with the job, the periods on the roads, and certainly the drive to meet deadlines that can result in substance abuse problems. Click here to learn more about the different types of drugs truck drivers take.
Truck accident victims must seek help from professional truck accident attorneys whose services, experience, and skills would enable them to have their injuries compensated.
Prescription Medications
The most abused category of drugs is prescription drugs, which might include opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants, among others.
Most of these drugs will help bring the health issues down legitimately. In contrast, others are most likely to be taken if one is misusing or abusing the drug, especially in the case when the drivers mostly like to be awake for a long time or want to reduce the level of pain or anxiety.
Unfortunately, the same prescription medication overused by truck drivers has side effects such as impaired judgment, coordination, and reaction time, which can only increase the potential for accidents and crashes that occur daily on the highways and interstates.
Over-the-Counter Drugs
Besides prescriptions, some truck drivers also abuse over-the-counter drugs to make their work easier to cope with. Drivers who abuse over-the-counter drugs take mostly cold and flu medicines that have some kind of ingredient that makes people high or drowsy, caffeine pills, or even energy drinks to help counter fatigue.
Though over-the-counter drugs are classified as harmless since they are used without a doctor’s prescription, abusing or overusing the drugs has the potential to impair driving, leading to traffic accidents.
Drivers should value the risks that such substances expose them to. Still, additional strategies need to be put in place that may effectively assist in addressing fatigue or other health-related challenges in undertaking commercial driving duties.
Illicit Drugs
Habitual illicit drugs are believed to have effects of either stress relief or performance improvements for the truck driver. The common drugs in a row include marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and synthetic opioids.
The powerful psychoactive effects affect the judgment and efficiency of the individual to executing motor and cognitive tasks and present enormous danger to a large commercial vehicle.
The Role of Workplace Stress in Drug Abuse Among Truck Drivers
Truck driving is considered to be another stress-prone occupation, simply serving as a breeding ground for substance abuse among drivers. Long hours spent at the wheel coupled with staying away from family drive sick truck drivers to obtain prescription drugs for painkillers and anxiety.
Over-the-counter drugs, such as cold remedies, are also abused to help them remain awake. Other illegal drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, further worsen the situation, as they can alter the judgment and reaction of the drivers.
Collaboration between such organizations, regulators, and advocacy groups needs to be solicited so that it becomes productive. This is the time their well-being is ushered in so we can really ensure safer roads and a healthier industry.
Conclusion
Drug abuse among American truck drivers is at a significant level of risk on highways. If we know the most abused drugs by truck drivers and create proper awareness and prevention education, we can create a safer roadway. In the case of impaired truck drivers causing accidents, it’s a practical part of holding them accountable and getting compensation for the victims to access the experience of rideshare accident attorneys by seeking legal redress against the culprits.
A lawyer can help victims hold the negligent party accountable for their actions and secure fair compensation for victims.
