Many large-truck crashes in Wisconsin are the fault of the truck driver. Perhaps you were involved in one yourself, in which case you want to know exactly how the driver was negligent. The fact is that truckers can become negligent in many different ways and that some of the things that are meant to keep them from becoming negligent wind up harming them. One study, for example, has linked high coffee drinking over the long term with an increased number of crashes.
Crash risk and excessive coffee drinking
Researchers chose, out of a pool of 11,000 truck drivers from eight different states, 3,007 drivers to analyze for their specific coffee drinking habits. The drivers were categorized as either those who drank a single cup of coffee a day or those who drank more than five cups a day. Asked if they were in a crash in the previous three years, 21.6% of the first group answered yes. As for the high coffee drinkers, 27.8% said yes.
Researchers admit that this does not automatically mean high coffee drinkers run a higher risk for a crash. Further research may strengthen this link, though. This study is unique because rather than analyzing the effect of caffeine in a laboratory setting, it looks at drivers’ actual behaviors.
Poor health among high coffee drinkers
Another finding was that the high coffee drinkers were not as healthy overall as the low coffee drinkers. The former admitted to things like having a poor diet, smoking, drinking more alcohol and failing to get restful sleep. It appears that drinking a high amount of coffee is beneficial, though, over the short term.
An attorney to represent you
The truck crash you were involved in may have left you dealing with a catastrophic personal injury, in which case you most likely want to seek compensation. There may not be much evidence of the trucker’s negligence, but by working with a lawyer, you may be able to build up a strong case and strive for a fair settlement.