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How common is substance abuse among truckers?

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2019 | Truck Accidents |

When cars and commercial trucks collide in Georgia, the people in the smaller vehicles typically find themselves on the losing end, and if they are lucky enough to live through these crashes, they often end up facing serious injuries and hardships. While even the most careful and conscientious truck drivers pose a threat to the public simply due to the size and weight of their trucks, those who use drugs or alcohol on the job pose a particularly substantial danger.

Unfortunately, the American Addiction Centers report that substance abuse in the trucking industry is a pervasive problem, and that there are several possible explanations as to why this is the case. The truck driving profession, for example, is an inherently lonely one, and some truckers turn to alcohol or drugs simply because they are lonely, bored or a combination of the two.

Other times, some truckers turn to substances because they believe doing so can improve their professional performance. Certain drugs, such as amphetamines, can, for a period, increase alertness, and this is a popular drug of choice among truck driving professionals because some use it to help themselves stay awake and get to their destinations more quickly.

In fact, about 82% of semi-truck drivers who took part in 13 different studies conducted over a 13-year span admitted to abusing amphetamines at work. While this is an alarming figure, the number of professional truck drivers admitting to abusing alcohol was even higher, with about 91% of truckers surveyed acknowledging drinking at work.

This information about substance abuse among semi-truck drivers is for educational purposes only and is not a replacement for legal advice.

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