A study has shown that the number of people who are not sleeping enough is on the rise in Texas and across the country. According to the study, the percentage of respondents who were sleeping seven hours or less each night rose from 30.9% in 2010 to 35.6% by 2018. The professions that were most likely to get too little sleep were military and police, health care assistance and materials transportation. These kinds of jobs often require longer shifts than other jobs.
The study did not specify how many respondents in the materials transportation category were long-haul truck drivers, but the prevalence of sleep-deprived workers grew in materials transportation overall to 41% in 2018 from 32% in 2010. According to the study’s lead author, a professor of health science, insufficient sleep is tied to mental and physical health problems and people who are sleep deprived are more prone to injury.
Male respondents in 2010 were getting insufficient sleep at a rate of 30.5%, and that percentage grew to 35.5% by 2018. For female respondents, the change was from 31.2% during 2011 to 35.8% during 2018. People who are not sleeping enough may be more likely to have car accidents because their reaction times are slowed and their ability to focus is lessened.
Big rig accidents can be caused by a variety of factors, but one prominent one is truck driver fatigue caused by long hours behind the wheel without sufficient rest breaks. Occupants of other vehicles who have been injured in such a crash might find it advisable to have the assistance of an attorney when seeking compensation for their medical bills and other losses.
