Truck Drivers Using Illegal Drugs
In light of our lawyers' recent recovery of 3.25 million dollars in a tractor trailer collision case in which the truck driver was found to be under the influence of illegal drugs, we are repeating pertinent information contained in a previous entry.
Our lawyers are frequently handling cases in which the driver of a heavy truck is under the influence of illegal stimulents, such as methamphetamine.
Despite Federal regulations that limit the hours they can drive in a single day, truck drivers are constantly looking for ways to stay awake longer, drive farther, and make more money. Seventeen out of 20 truck drivers inter-viewed by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) said that methamphetamine is easy to get at truck stops. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that people in occupations (such as long-haul truckers) that demand long hours, mental alertness, and physical endurance, have been using methamphetamine at increased rates.
The use of stimulants by truck drivers to combat fatigue is fairly common. Surveys and roadside tests indicate that about one in five drivers use stimulants on at least some trips.
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