Distracted truck drivers pose a serious threat to everyone on the road. The size and weight of commercial trucks mean that even a momentary lapse in attention can turn a minor mistake into a devastating event for the truck driver and other motorists.
At Chief Carriers, we want our drivers home safe and sound after each trip and other drivers to be safe when our trucks are on the road. We’ll discuss the dangers of distracted truck driving, examine the causes of distractions, and offer potential solutions for keeping the roads safe for everyone.
What is Truck Driver Distraction?
Truck driver distraction is anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road and the task of driving safely on it. These distractions can fall into three categories, each posing a safety risk to the driver of the semi-truck and other drivers around them.
- Visual distraction: Taking eyes off the road
- Manual distraction: Taking hands off the steering wheel
- Cognitive distraction: Taking your mind off driving.

What are Common Distractions for Truck Drivers?
Truck drivers are susceptible to many of the same distractions that passenger vehicle drivers experience. Because of the hours they spend on the road each day, truck drivers simply have more opportunities for distracted driving incidents. Driving distractions can be caused internally or externally.
Internal Distractions
Internal distractions are caused by conditions within the truck cab or the driver themselves. They can be visual, manual, or cognitive distractions.
- Cell Phone: Texting, talking on the phone, or even glancing at notifications.
- Eating and Drinking: Reaching for food, unwrapping items, and sipping beverages.
- Passengers: Engaging in conversations or arguments with accompanying passengers.
- Adjusting In-Cab Devices: Fiddling with controls to change the music or input a new destination.
- Fatigue: Drowsiness makes drivers more susceptible to other distractions.
- Mental Distractions: Stress, personal problems, and boredom can all lead to daydreaming or “highway hypnosis,” causing drivers to lose focus on the road.
External Distractions
These distractions are caused by conditions or circumstances outside of the truck itself and mainly fall into the categories of visual or cognitive distractions.
- Traffic and Road Conditions: Heavy traffic and unexpected events requiring increased attention.
- Other Vehicles or Accidents: Rubbernecking at accidents or focusing on other vehicles’ movements.
- Billboards or Scenery: Eye-catching billboards or scenic views.
- Pedestrians and Cyclists: Sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists requires extra vigilance.
- Construction Zones and Work Crews: Navigating construction zones with lane changes and reduced speed limits.
- Weather: Rain, snow, fog, and glare can reduce visibility.

Factors that Contribute to Truck Driver Distraction
Truck drivers face unique challenges when it comes to focusing on the road. The nature of a trucking drive job creates conditions in which distractions have a higher likelihood of occurring.
Due to long hours on the road, drivers often eat and drink in their cabs. Modern trucks have many potentially distracting technologies, from GPS and dispatching systems to entertainment and climate controls. Long hauls and irregular sleep schedules can lead to driver fatigue, which impairs concentration and reaction time.
The pressure to meet delivery schedules can lead to speeding and risky driving behaviors. Staying in contact with dispatchers and brokers can be distracting, especially if it involves using a phone or other communication device. Managing logs, delivery receipts, and other paperwork can also distract a driver from the road.

Why are Distracted Truck Drivers So Dangerous?
Anyone who is distracted while driving poses a danger. However, the consequences of distracted driving are significantly more significant for truck drivers for the following reasons:
- Size and Weight: The immense size and weight of commercial trucks, which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, require significantly longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles, making any distraction that delays a driver’s reaction time potentially devastating.
- Increased Severity of Accidents: Due to their size and force of impact, semi-truck accidents often result in more severe injuries and fatalities than passenger vehicle accidents, especially with increased risks of rollovers, jackknifes, and multi-vehicle pileups.
- Impact on Other Drivers and Passengers: Distracted truck drivers put others at significant risk, as the consequences of losing control of their rig often cause severe injuries or fatalities for occupants of smaller, more vulnerable vehicles.
- Risk to the Truck Driver: The consequences of distracted driving include risks to the truck drivers themselves. In 2022, 17% of deaths from crashes involving large trucks were the occupants of the trucks.

How to Improve Truck Driver Safety
Because numerous factors cause distracted truck driving, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Combating distracted driving requires a multi-pronged approach, including technology solutions, corporate policies, and educational campaigns that encourage driver focus behind the wheel.
Technology Solutions
Advancements in technology offer promising solutions to combat distracted driving. The following types of systems can be installed and used in semi-trucks:
- Collision avoidance systems: These systems use sensors and cameras to detect potential collisions and warn the driver or even automatically apply the brakes.
- Lane departure warnings: These systems alert the driver if the truck starts to drift out of its lane, helping to prevent unintentional lane changes.
- Driver monitoring systems: These systems use cameras and sensors to track a driver’s eye movements and head position, detecting signs of drowsiness or distraction.
Employer Responsibility
Trucking companies have a responsibility to prioritize driving safety and take proactive measures to prevent distracted driving. Corporate policies that address the issue include:
- Stricter company policies on cell phone use: Implementing and enforcing strict policies prohibiting cell phone use while driving can help reduce distractions.
- Emphasis on driver training and safety programs: Investing in comprehensive driver training programs that focus on distracted driving awareness and prevention is essential.
- Promoting a culture of safety: Creating a company culture that values safety above all else can encourage drivers to prioritize safe driving practices.
How Chief Carriers Promotes Safe Driving
Part of our commitment to excellence at Chief Carriers centers around our family-like company culture. Our Safety Manager, Brett Kleier, takes the safety and well-being of his drivers to heart, and he makes a point to address the subject of distracted driving with them.\
“I do spend time talking to all drivers about it, and I focus on the mental side of things,” he says. “I discuss how you can be so ‘in your head’ that you literally don’t remember driving. It has happened to us all.”
Kleier also knows professional truck driving can be mentally demanding and create tension in personal matters. He encourages any driver who’s struggling to talk to him. “I am an outlet to vent what is bugging them so they can stay clear-headed and focused.”

Staying Focused and Safe on the Roads
The consequences of a distracted driving accident involving a commercial truck are far-reaching and severe. Industry leaders should understand the causes of distracted driving and how to implement solutions to create safer roads for truck drivers and the communities they drive in.
As a leader in flatbed trucking, Chief Carriers is committed to the well-being of our truck drivers and those they share the road with. Our driver safety training includes distracted driving, and each truck is equipped with an electronic logging device (ELD) that reads messages aloud so the driver can stay focused on the road. We believe being a good neighbor on the road includes safe driving.
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