Often over looked during oil and gas booms is the negative effect the increased traffic can have on local residents or any other drivers on the road. With increased oil exploration, come more 18 wheelers, fatigued drivers, fatigued workers, and often increased drinking and driving. The results are often catastrophic. Drilling rigs are transported from one drill site to the other by 18 wheelers. Sometimes the weight of the loads can exceed 100,000 pounds which can make the potential accident more dangerous for all parties involved. Typically these loads are being hauled on small country roads with little room for the trucks to maneuver. If the truck driver is not paying attention, misses his location, or falls asleep behind the wheel the wreck that follows usually leaves people dead or permanently disabled.
In addition to the 18 wheelers, the workers on a drilling rig often stay more than an hour away from the drilling location. As a result, there is a high likelihood of fatigued driving when a worker heads home after twelve to eighteen hours of non-stop work on the drilling rig. Fatigued driving can lead to vehicle roll overs or often times head on collisions with unsuspecting families.