Tired truckers can lead to dangerous driving

Long haul trucks can be an imposing presence on the road, but that size can quickly become deadly. Things can get dangerous in an industry that requires drivers to commit to long hours to meet never-ending deadlines.

Fatigued truck drivers cause around 20% of all large trucking accidents. Trucking can be a demanding occupation, and when drivers push the limits, they may become too tired to operate vehicles that weigh over 10,000 pounds safely. If you’re involved in an accident with a truck and you suspect fatigue to be a factor, proving it can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Large trucks and large liability

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has regulations in place to deter drowsy drivers from hitting the road:

• Running time: Drivers can only operate so many hours in a given window. Breaks need to split up hours of operation, and down-time has to round out the edges. There are set times and acceptable combinations, but they generally all need to add up to the same satisfactory levels.
• Monitoring: It’s often not enough that drivers work within running times, but they also need to keep intricate records. Noncompliant trackers, altered documents or missing information can all be signifiers of negligence.
• Health concerns: Federal rules usually require consistent health checks from drivers to make sure they’re fit to drive. You may need to look for warning signals like medication prescriptions that cause drowsiness or diagnosed sleep apnea.

Fatigue can be costly, so knowing how it can contribute to negligence in your claim can be essential. Getting the compensation you need may rely on proving a tired operator is to blame for your accident.