The Danger Posed by Retirement-Age Truck Drivers

 Posted on January 29, 2025 in Car Accidents

Truck driving can be an appealing job for a recently retired person to take up. Truck drivers get to travel and see the country while getting paid to drive. Some retired couples even get their CDLs together so that they can work together and drive in shifts. This can be great for people who retire from their primary career early, in their early 60’s or so. However, aging adults can start to experience a myriad of physical and mental health conditions that might impair their driving. While there are mechanisms for revoking an aging driver’s CDL for medical reasons, this is not always done in time. If you were injured in a truck accident caused by an aging driver who should not have been on the road, you should speak to an experienced Will County, IL truck accident attorney. You may be entitled to significant compensation.

Fatigue Affects Aging Drivers Differently 

Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of trucking accidents. There is a reason all drivers are required to take breaks according to a strict schedule. Hours of service laws, as they are called, are designed to make sure that truck drivers get adequate rest and do not make mistakes due to being overly tired. However, the hours of service regulations are designed for truckers who are reasonably fit and healthy. Older adults may require longer and more frequent rest breaks to prevent dangerous levels of fatigue.

Aging Slows Reaction Time 

Both the physical and cognitive effects of aging can slow a person’s reaction time. Truck drivers often need to be able to react very quickly to avoid an accident. Stopping a commercial truck in time to avoid an accident when there is an unexpected slowdown or a red light up ahead is not always easy. Truck drivers who are experiencing a slowed reaction time are far more likely to cause a rear-end collision.

Truck Driving With Impaired Vision 

Most older adults are able to keep their CDLs - and ordinary driver’s licenses - by wearing corrective lenses. As a person ages, wearing glasses or contacts may no longer be enough to restore his vision to a safe level for driving. Truck drivers who cannot see other vehicles or obstacles at a distance can easily cause a crash.

Confusion is Dangerous for Truck Drivers

As soon as an aging adult begins to experience brief periods of confusion or memory loss, it is time for him to stop driving trucks. Unfortunately, retirees are not always willing to admit - even to themselves - that they are starting to struggle with cognitive impairments. A truck driver who becomes disoriented or forgets what he is doing, even for a moment, can cause a deadly crash very quickly.

Contact a Joliet, IL Truck Accidents Lawyer 

McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC is committed to helping people who have been injured by negligent truck drivers recover compensation. Our aggressive Will County, IL 18-wheeler accident attorneys will investigate the causes of your accident. Contact us at 815-727-0100 for a complimentary consultation.