With so many distractions on the road, truck drivers must pay attention when operating their vehicles to avoid serious collisions. Unfortunately, data shows that hundreds of fatal truck crashes every year are connected to at least one driver distraction-related factor.
You can keep yourself and other drivers safe by understanding the top distractions for truck drivers and how to stay focused behind the wheel. To help, our team shares distracted driving tips for truck drivers and what you can do to minimize risks.
Understanding Distractions Truck Drivers Face
While all distractions can take your attention away from the task of driving, not all driver distractions are the same. Some cause visual or cognitive impairments, while others can affect your physical ability to control the truck. Here are the three main types of driver distractions.
Manual Distractions
A manual driving distraction is anything that takes your hands off the steering wheel. These types of distractions are dangerous because they can make you take longer to react to potential road hazards and make sudden maneuvers to avoid a crash. With less control over a large truck, you may cause a catastrophic crash that could have been avoided.
Examples of manual driving distractions for truck drivers include:
- Texting, making calls, or scrolling on your phone
- Using other handheld devices
- Eating or drinking
- Adjusting the navigation system or radio
- Smoking or vaping
- Reaching for items in the truck cabin
If you don’t have your hands on the wheel when there is a sudden change in road conditions or traffic flow, it takes time to drop what you’re doing, stop or swerve, and regain control of the truck. Those precious seconds could mean the difference between avoiding a collision or causing a fatal accident.
Cognitive Distractions
Cognitive distractions are common causes of distracted driving accidents. These take your concentration away from the road and cause mental disconnects that impair your ability to drive safely. Visual and manual distractions can also be cognitive distractions when they divert your focus from driving.
Common types of cognitive driving distractions are:
- Daydreaming or letting your mind wander
- Thinking deeply or worrying
- Reading text messages, emails, or articles
- Talking to passengers or people on the phone
- Listening to a podcast or show
- Driving while highly emotional
- Planning or scheduling an event
Although you are looking at the road and have both hands on the wheel, it’s possible to be mentally distracted while driving. If you’re not concentrating on what you’re doing, you may not notice road hazards until it’s too late to react. Cognitive distraction can also cause impaired judgment, leaving you more prone to driving mistakes.
Visual Distractions
Visual driving distractions take your eyes off the road in front of you. It could be anything that makes you look in another direction while driving the truck, including:
- Looking at your phone or other devices
- Operating your navigation system or GPS
- Reading signs or billboards
- Looking at cars, drivers, or pedestrians
- Adjusting controls or vehicle features
- Looking at your reflection in the mirror
- Trying to grab something behind you or off the floor
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), looking away from the road for five seconds is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. Even if it seems like the road is clear and open, a lot can happen in that time and distance. You significantly increase the risk of a truck crash by giving in to visual distractions.
FMCSA Regulations on Distracted Driving
It’s vital for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers to understand the rules and restrictions regarding distracted driving. Under FMCSA regulations, CMV drivers cannot use a hand-held phone to text or talk while driving. The only exception is to contact emergency services or law enforcement.
The penalties for texting or using a mobile phone to make hand-held calls can include:
- $2,750 fine for drivers
- $11,000 fine for the driver’s employer
- Driver disqualifications for 60 or 120 days
- Commercial driver’s license (CDL) suspension
According to the FMCSA, the use of a hand-held mobile telephone includes making calls with at least one hand, dialing a number that requires more than pressing one button, or reaching for the phone that causes the driver to no longer be in a seated position behind the wheel.
This law is meant to prevent truckers and other commercial vehicle drivers from becoming distracted by their phones and increasing the risk of traffic accidents. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) laws that also have this goal are:
- 49 CFR 392.80: Prohibits texting while driving
- 49 CFR 392.82: Prohibits using a hand-held mobile telephone
When determining who’s at fault in a commercial vehicle accident, law enforcement will investigate if the truck driver violated these laws and regulations. If so, truckers and their employers may be liable for damages caused by the crash. Contact an experienced attorney to learn details about suing the trucking company if their driver caused an accident.
Actionable Tips for Preventing Distractions
Because distracted drivers are major causes of commercial truck accidents, truck drivers should do everything possible to minimize distractions. Here are tips to prevent dangerous distractions that can lead to traffic violations and safety-critical events.
Avoid Using Your Phone
One crucial way to limit distractions is to avoid using your mobile device. Texting, talking on the phone, and scrolling through social media cause visual, manual, and cognitive distractions that put you and other drivers at risk.
A study found that people who use their cell phones while behind the wheel perform risky driving behaviors more than those who do not engage with their mobile devices. Cell phone users are more likely to:
- Drive faster
- Change lanes more often
- Spend more time in the left lane
- Do more hard braking maneuvers
- Have more instances of high acceleration
To avoid using your phone when behind the wheel, you can:
- Power off your cell phone or other electronic devices before you start driving
- Turn on your mobile device’s Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode options
- Download an app that limits phone usage while driving
- Put your phone in a place where you cannot access it
- Find a safe place to pull over if you must use your cell phone
With more than one-fifth of drivers admitting to smartphone-based distractions while driving, truckers can improve road conditions by staying alert, focused, and distraction-free. Avoiding cell phone use plays a significant role in achieving that goal.
Keep Your Eyes Moving
When you’ve been driving for a long time on a familiar or repetitive route you’ve taken many times, it’s possible to experience highway hypnosis or “white line fever.” This is a phenomenon that happens when drivers fall into a trance-like state and are unaware of the time that passes while driving. They may arrive at their destination and not recall how they got there or what happened during the trip.
Highway hypnosis is a common occurrence in truck drivers who spend hours driving along monotonous stretches of highway. If you don’t take breaks or allow your eyes to move around while driving, you can fall into highway hypnosis. This is dangerous because it may cause these symptoms:
- Slower reaction times
- Drifting between lanes
- Missing exits or turn lanes
- Failing to signal before changing lanes
- No awareness of surroundings
- Losing track of time
To prevent highway hypnosis, it’s important to keep your eyes moving. Scan your surroundings and check your mirrors often to change your view while driving. You can also make slight alterations to your route or routine to keep things fresh and your mind engaged.
Plan Your Trip Before Getting Behind the Wheel
If you’re not familiar with the route or need directions to get where you’re going, make sure you plan your trip before hitting the road. This means putting the destination into your navigation system and having it ready to go before you start driving. Entering an address into your GPS or switching the destination midtrip will take your eyes off the road and pull your attention away from driving.
It’s also a good idea to plan your stops for periodic breaks while driving. According to the FMCSA, truck drivers must take a 30-minute break for every eight hours of cumulative work. Consider this when planning your trip and looking for ideal places to rest.
Without a rest area or safe place to take a break, you run the risk of driving over the allowed time and feeling fatigued or distracted. Take time to familiarize yourself with the route, find appropriate places to stop, and input your destination address before starting your trip.
Practice Defensive Driving
Truck drivers can also avoid distractions by practicing defensive driving. Drivers must pay attention to potential hazards and react in a safe and responsible way. Defensive driving techniques include:
- Staying within the speed limit
- Keeping a safe distance from other vehicles
- Observing road and weather conditions
- Being on the lookout for aggressive or unsafe drivers and avoiding them
- Passing other drivers carefully
- Letting faster motorists pass you
- Avoiding risky behavior that can cause an accident
Truck drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles safely and obey traffic laws. Practicing defensive driving can help you fulfill that duty and prevent serious collisions and injuries.
Avoid Eating and Drinking While Driving
Eating and drinking while driving is a major distraction that takes your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road. About 60% of Americans admit to periodically eating while driving, with 7% saying they eat behind the wheel every day.
Here are common risks you face when you decide to eat and drive:
- Your attention is on the food and not the road
- Your reaction time may be slower with your hands full
- You don’t have two hands to control the vehicle
- Food wrappers, bags, and other trash can cause visual distractions
- Feeling full can make you tired, drowsy, and less responsive to hazards
Don’t eat meals while you’re driving your truck. Instead, eat healthy meals during your breaks. Stay hydrated throughout the day so you don’t feel thirsty while on the road. This can help you stay focused and create a safer driving environment.
Check Your Blind Spots
Large trucks and commercial vehicles have multiple blind spots because of their size. Before making turns or switching lanes, always check your blind spots to avoid an accident. Use your mirrors to scan your surroundings and avoid sudden movements.
When truck drivers are not focused or are distracted by their phones or other devices, they could miss a vehicle entering a blind spot. Making an effort to check your blind spots often can help you avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task at hand.
Adjust Your Driving Speed
Speeding is a common cause of truck accidents. Because of their size and weight, semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles take longer to slow down and make maneuvers to avoid a crash. By adjusting to a slower speed to avoid hazardous conditions, you keep everyone safer on the road.
Paying attention to your speed and being aware of how your surroundings can affect your speed are good ways to avoid distractions. It puts your attention on the road and how fast you’re traveling, keeping you engaged and focused on driving.
Final Thoughts: The Importance of Defensive Driving Techniques
The best way to avoid collisions is to do everything you can to maintain safe driving conditions. Practicing defensive driving techniques while behind the wheel of your truck means staying alert and avoiding distractions that could put you and other drivers at risk.
When a truck driver fails in their duty to operate their vehicle safely, they may be liable for damages if they cause a crash. If you or someone you know was injured in a truck crash, contact Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney. We can discuss your case, explain your rights, and explore what legal options you have to claim compensation.