Fatigue-related truck crashes more likely farther from rest stops
There’s been plenty of research indicating that driver fatigue contributes to a significant number of commercial truck crashes. Now a new study suggests that the availability of rest areas – including truck stops – has an effect on the number of fatigue-related accidents that occur on the nation’s roadways.
A study at the University of Kentucky funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) compared the number of fatigue-related crashes to those caused by other factors, such as distracted driving, in connection to the proximity of truck stops and other rest areas. (Nationwide, Kentucky was among the bottom half of states in terms of the number of parking spaces for commercial trucks, according to the Federal Highway Administration in 2015.)