Last updated : November 18, 2024
In the US, the logistics and trucking industry is highly competitive. The sector plays a vital role in facilitating the flow of goods throughout the entire world’s largest consumer market. Nearly seventy-three percent of all American cargo—that equates to over 11 billion tons of freight—was transported by trucks last year according to the American Trucking Associations website. The trucking industry continues to trump all other means of transport, air, pipeline, rail, and water combined.
The latest data released by the American Trucking Associations reveals that trucking revenues were $940.8 billion in 2022. Over 11.46 billion tons of cargo was transported using trucks in 2022 per the report by Select USA.
Alcohol and substance abuse in the trucking industry
Despite the role that the trucking industry plays in the transportation of goods and its impact on the US economy, it’s been in the limelight for the increasing cases of alcohol and substance abuse. Truck driving is a demanding vocation whose lifestyle may make the drivers fall into the temptation of working under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
The work is physically and mentally taxing. Many drivers travel long distances and have to be away from their families for extended durations. The profession involves immense solitude, sleep deprivation, and excessive fatigue. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, it can be annoyingly repetitive, monotonous, demanding, and stressful.
As such, many drivers get relief in the use of psychoactive substances including opioids which has become a crises nationwide. They believe these substances help fight sleepiness, solitude, and induce the willingness to work more.
In November 2017, changes were made to the DOT regulations adding specific synthetic opioids to the DOT drug test. The changes to Part 40 which outlines the procedures for alcohol and drug testing for workers in the transport industry went into force on January 1, 2018. Many employers mistakenly believe they don’t need to worry about opioid abuse because they think it’s isolated to a certain type of people, however, the truth is it’s become quite common across all demographics.
As time goes by, the pressure and solitude that comes with the job will weigh down some drivers, They graduate to dangerous drugs such as meth and cocaine just to make their job a little more interesting. What’s taken with innocent intent has far-reaching impacts on the health of the victims not to mention the social and financial implications on society.
Truck drivers’ drug, alcohol abuse, and addiction a major cause of truck fatal crashes
As already noted, truck driving is a challenging job, however, using drugs isn’t going to eliminate that. Drivers often put their health, their lives, and those of other road users on the line when they use stimulants to complete a shift.
It’s reported that the use of mind-altering substances such as alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, and marijuana could be linked to poor working conditions and long working hours. During that Reuter’s interview, half of the drivers confessed to drinking and driving while 30 percent of the drivers admitted to using amphetamines.
Alcohol and drug abuse gives a false job performance impression
Inarguably, alcohol and substance abuse among truck drivers risks not only their lives but also that of other road users. Even worse, it comes with an additional problem that gives the employers and the management of the trucking companies the impression that they can handle longer trips than usual.
Therefore, the drivers are assigned even longer trips, keeping them on the road and away from their families. To keep up with the rising job demands and the loneliness of living on the road, some turn to drugs or alcohol. Being under the influence, of course, greatly increases the odds that they will be involved in—even cause—an accident.
Shocking statistics on truck fatal crashes
Usually, the victims of truck crashes are the passengers in other vehicles using the same road. Compared to small cars, loaded long trailers will take 20-40 percent farther to stop after applying brakes. It gets worse when using wet and slippery roads or when the brakes are faulty. Combine that with the driver having illegal drugs in their system and the odds of an accident occurring increase measurably.
According to data and statistics announced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 5,904 large truck crashes were reported in 2021. The data indicates that alcohol and drug abuse were often to blame for the fatal crashes.
Five thousand, seven hundred and eighty-eight people died in large truck crashes in 2021. The number is up 17% from just one year prior. An estimated 154,993 were injured when involved in a crash with a large truck during 2021 as well.
There’s no denying that drug and substance abuse plays a role in the increasing number of truck crashes, but that may not always be the case. The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is in full swing now making it impossible for drivers who struggle with substance abuse to skate out of return-to-duty rehab treatment plans simply by moving to a new state and “starting fresh.” The statistics will begin to reflect the positive affect that is having on the number of large truck crashes.
Sometimes, accidents can’t be avoided, but choosing to get behind the wheel with drugs or alcohol in your system isn’t one of them.
