It is dangerous enough when a person operates a passenger car or average size vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs but to drive a commercial vehicle while under the influence is quite another. This is especially true for semi truck drivers. Think how small you feel in your car when one is next to you on the road.
When you drink or drive it affects your reflexes making it extremely dangerous since a semi truck takes much longer to come to a stop when braking making it imperative for the driver to have unaffected reflexes. It is sad and upsetting to even think about the consequences of a loaded semi “bumping” into a car much less slamming into a car.
As far as alcohol goes, a truck driver only needs to have a low BAC to be considered impaired. Considering how large a truck is, and how much more difficult it is to control than a standard car, this is perfectly acceptable. Federal law currently prohibits and truck driver from operating their truck or any other commercial truck so long as they have a BAC of 0.04%. This has helped to greatly decrease accidents in recent years.
However, drugs like marijuana or stimulants can also cause impairments and this is a problem since many truck drivers believe that these are helpful in keeping them awake when driving long routes. It is a fact that many truck drivers are forced to drive until they have pushed their own limits in order to keep impossible deadlines or even their job, but that has caused the drivers of commercial vehicles to also turn to drugs like meth which are easily purchased at just about every truck stop along the way. It is not easy to determine who is at fault, the truck driver or the company pushing them, but one this is for sure and that is that the polices are in dire need of reviewing.
It is a good thing that all truck drivers from all companies are required to undergo random testing for drugs in their system. The tests can be done at any time, including right before the driver is set to leave for a job. By accepting the Commercial Driver’s License, all truck drivers give their implied consent to drug testing and there is absolutely no reason that a refusal is allowed. If the truck driver does refuse a drug test, then they can be fired from their job or will receive a fine.
This is always a situation that is serious enough that it will have to be looked further into. It is even more serious than a normal DWI, because of the number of lives potentially at stake. Every driver of a passenger car who has to drive next to a semi truck will want some sort of assurance that they are safe and that the truck driver won’t be suffering some problems, like flashback to a war he was in, just because he had took some substance to help remain awake.
If you happen to be a truck driver, then always keep in mind that safety comes first. Always ensure that you get enough sleep and don’t give in to any temptations along the way. Many lives are at stake when driving a truck and it is part of your job to make sure that others are safe from you.
