Long-haul truck drivers may travel thousands of miles in a relatively short period of time to pick-up, transport, deliver, and return on a commercial truck run.  Although there are mandated rest periods, these are spent in the back of a cab, often surrounding by traffic or truck stop noises.  In addition to the cramped quarters and less than optimal sleeping conditions, worries about delays or deadlines wreak havoc on sleep cycles.  All of these things may mean that the only thing keeping that driver awake is a large cup of coffee or chemical stimulant.  This leads to many different problems for other drivers.

When a truck driver is sleep-deprived or fatigued, he may experience a number of different consequences that put other drivers at risk, including:

  • Slower reaction times – in order to hit the brakes hard enough to slow or stop a semi-truck, a driver must process the danger cognitively and physically move his foot from the gas to the brake.  When there are any delays in the process, it could result in a serious accident.
  • Increased risk of confusion – a person who is sleep-deprived does not process information in the same manner as an alert, well-rested individual.
  • Dangerous decisions – when a person is fatigued, he may justify using illegal drugs as a means of staying awake while driving.  In addition, a truck driver may rely on alcohol to try to get more sleep, leading to a driver suffering from a hangover or still under the influence of alcohol when he gets back behind the wheel.
  • Aggressive or reckless driving – a driver who has not gotten sufficient sleep may be more irritable and prone to more dangerous driving behaviors.

Studies have shown that the impact that fatigue has on a driver might be as significant as a driver being impaired from the use of drugs or alcohol.  The federal government has recognized the problem that fatigue poses for commercial truck drivers, so the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enacted hours-of-service (HOS) regulation in order to combat some of the negative consequences of this condition.  These rules impose strict time limits on how many hours a truck driver can drive within a twenty-four hour period, requiring ten straight hours of rest time, with eight of that spent in the sleeper compartment of the cab.  In addition, a driver is limited in how many hours he can drive in a seven or eight-day work week.

Driver fatigue is one of the more difficult types of negligence to prove when there has been a serious accident between a commercial truck and another vehicle.  Often, it is necessary to reconstruct the accident and piece together the events of the days leading up to the accident.  A careful analysis of the driver’s log will be necessary, along with a review of receipts showing the locations of the rest stops that the driver should have taken.  Circumstantial evidence, such as weaving and swerving prior to the accident, braking distance, and driver behavior may be used to build a case for driver fatigue as the cause of the accident.  The tight schedule that the trucking company imposed on the driver also may be a factor in determining whether the trucking company shared in the liability for the damage done by the trucker.

A truck accident often leads to severe injuries for the victims who are impacted by the large commercial vehicle.  Long-term hospitalization, ongoing medical treatment, and lengthy rehabilitation mean that the economic consequences for the victim and his or her family are tremendous.  The emotional toll may be even worse.  The knowledgeable and compassionate personal injury attorneys Barrett Law PLLC are ready to ease some of your burdens by getting you the compensation that you deserve.  Call us at (800) 707-9577 to schedule an initial consultation.  We only receive a fee if we succeed in your legal action.