Deadline Pressures Often Force Truck Drivers to Get Rest Wherever They Can

Long-haul truck drivers are under an incredible amount of pressure to transport their loads to their destination in a certain amount of time. Facing tight deadlines, they often need to get their rest wherever they can – even if that means pulling off a highway and parking on the shoulder. Tragically, this can often lead to trucking accidents that result in severe injuries and fatalities.

Who’s Responsible for This?

One stretch of highway outside Mahwah, NJ is an example of just how dangerous the pressures of inflexible trucking company deadlines can be. As many as 20 big rigs park in an emergency lane off of Interstate 287 each and every night, creating an incredibly hazardous situation. One person has already died after hitting a parked semi truck in the area.

In the vast majority of cases, however, the truck drivers who resort to creating “impromptu truck stops” across the nation are not at fault. The blame lies with the trucking companies that set burdensome deadlines that are incredibly difficult to meet. The drivers are trying to comply with federal regulations that require them to rest after a certain amount of time behind the wheel.

Many drivers have no choice but to find the closest spot to pull over because they don’t have the time to find a safe truck stop. As a result, they and others on the road are in extreme danger. If trucking companies would find a way to be more flexible in their deadlines or do a more efficient job of planning routes, then drivers might not have to make these kinds of choices.