What You Need to Know About Driver Fatigue and Truck Accidents

 Posted on July 21, 2023 in Personal Injury

A very common factor in semi-truck accidents is driver fatigue. It is not difficult to discern why this may be. Commercial truck drivers work long hours actively driving. Long-distance drivers may do nothing but operate their truck for weeks on end. Anyone who has driven a long distance with few stops can likely understand how this type of work may be tiring. It can be difficult for drivers in personal vehicles and commercial trucks alike to retain perfect focus on the road for extended periods of time. Taking regular rest breaks is essential to helping a semi-truck driver remain well-rested enough to stay focused on traffic around them. There are even federal laws governing how often and for how long CDL drivers must stop to rest. Unfortunately, these laws are not followed perfectly. Fatigued drivers are more prone to causing crashes. If you have been recently injured in a truck accident, an attorney may be able to take steps to determine whether the truck driver involved may have been fatigued due to not taking their mandatory breaks. 

Facts About Truck Accidents Caused by Tired Driving

Facts you should know about how tired driving can contribute to truck accidents include: 

• Hours of Service Laws - Federal regulations that set out a schedule of mandatory rest breaks for commercial truck drivers are referred to as “hours of service” laws. If a truck driver fails to take mandatory breaks and causes an accident, they may be considered automatically negligent. 

• Likely records - Truck drivers and the companies they work for could easily falsify a strictly written record, stating that they stopped to sleep when they in fact kept driving. However, many modern trucks are now equipped with software that automatically records when a driver is stopped and when he is driving. An attorney may be able to subpoena these records if they suspect that the driver has falsified their log. 

• Industry encouragement - Sadly, many trucking agencies encourage their truck drivers not to take mandatory breaks. There is an industry-wide culture that discourages drivers from taking the rest they need to drive safely. 

• Tired driving is like drunk driving - Numerous studies have shown that a significantly sleep-deprived driver is just as impaired as a drunk driver. 

If you were involved in a commercial truck accident, it is somewhat likely that fatigued driving was a factor. An attorney can likely take steps to determine whether the truck driver had failed to take the required breaks. 

Contact a Springfield Truck Accident Attorney

Kanoski Bresney is skilled in investigating the causes of a commercial truck accident. Our committed Springfield truck accident lawyers will do all we can to help you recover compensation. To begin with a complimentary consultation, please contact us at 888-826-8682. 

Sources:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/drowsy-driving/drowsy-driving-vs-drunk-driving