How Does Fatigue Affect Truck Accidents?
Studies show a lack of sleep impairs a person’s driving abilities in ways similar to alcohol. These studies show that staying awake for at least 18 hours has the same effect as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 percent.
Although fatigued driving is dangerous, many people get behind the wheels of their vehicles despite feeling tired or lacking adequate sleep. Fatigue often causes reduced reaction times, lack of coordination and motor skills, and poor decision-making.
According to statistics from the National Safety Council, an estimated 50,000 injuries and 800 fatalities occur in drowsy driving accidents every year. Truck drivers are at an increased risk of driving while tired. They spend much of their days on the road, working long hours and traveling far distances. Many truckers don’t get the rest they need to operate a commercial truck safely.
Driving a large truck, such as a tractor-trailer, requires experience, skill, and focus. It’s challenging for truck drivers to notice dangerous conditions, follow traffic signs, and react quickly when they feel fatigued. When an accident occurs, the occupants of smaller vehicles typically suffer more severe injuries than the occupants of a truck.
Why Driver Fatigue Is Dangerous
Drowsiness from a busy schedule, lack of sleep, or another factor impairs the physical and cognitive functioning necessary to react appropriately to adverse situations.
Some common symptoms of fatigue include:
- Difficulty recognizing dangerous conditions
- Poor decision-making skills
- Reduced motor skills
- Impaired muscle control
- Slower reaction time
- Blurry vision
- Poor judgment
- Altered depth perception
- Extended periods of inattention
- Becoming distracted easily
- Trouble reading and understanding traffic signs
- Reduced or loss of coordination
Truck drivers are supposed to take breaks and follow other federal regulations while driving commercial motor vehicles. If they’re not well-rested and alert at the wheel, they could lose control of their truck and crash into nearby vehicles, pedestrians, or stationary objects.
Common Reasons for Fatigue in Truck Drivers
Truck drivers and their employers must adhere to a set of regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The hours of service regulations are particularly vital for truck drivers to follow. These safety guidelines aim to prevent driver fatigue.
Regulating the trucking industry might seem like an effective way to keep all vehicle occupants safe on the road. However, the FMCSA has no control over how much sleep truckers get. The administration can’t require a specific number of hours of sleep for drivers to operate their trucks. That means many truckers work long hours despite not getting the sleep necessary to perform at full-functioning capacity.
Sometimes, trucking companies force their employees to violate the hours of service regulations. An employer might encourage one of their truck drivers to skip required breaks and drive beyond the maximum allowed hours. Making money and staying ahead of schedule is more important than safety for many employers.
What You Should Do After a Truck Accident
Proving fatigue is challenging in a truck accident case. There is plenty of physical evidence to use when crashes occur due to drunk driving or defective car parts. However, the evidence used to show a driver felt fatigued is minimal.
You must take immediate action after suffering an injury in an accident involving a commercial truck. Once you leave the accident scene, go to a nearby hospital or visit your doctor. The physician should examine you and diagnose your injury. Once they determine your diagnosis, attend all necessary follow-up appointments.
Your medical records can show that you sustained an injury in the accident and required treatment to recover. It’s critical to maintain a copy of every document you receive during your ongoing case. Maintain every physician bill, imaging test result, surgical report, prescription, and rehabilitation record.
It’s also beneficial to hire a truck accident lawyer to represent you. Your lawyer can investigate the crash and obtain available evidence to prove fault. They can also file a claim on your behalf and negotiate a settlement with the insurance company.
Gathering information from the trucker’s record of duty status might also help your case. A record of duty status is a physical logbook of information regarding a truck driver’s activity during every 24-hour period. Truckers must log when they take breaks, go off-duty, and the number of hours they spend driving. If the information shows they exceeded the maximum driving limit or didn’t take the required breaks, it could help to prove driver fatigue.
Contact an Experienced and Dedicated Truck Accident Attorney
If you were injured in an accident involving a fatigued truck driver, contact the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers right now. Our Myrtle Beach truck accident lawyer will review your information regarding the crash and determine whether you have a viable case. You can depend on us to fight for your rights and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.
Call us for a confidential consultation at (843) 839-4795 today, and let us get you on the road to recovery.
