Since many truck drivers work long hours, fatigue is one of the most common contributing factors to truck accidents. Here is what you should know about how truck driver fatigue contributes to crashes and affects your personal injury claim.
How Truck Driver Fatigue Contributes to Accidents
Long-haul truck drivers often travel hundreds of miles a day and work for many hours. Exacerbating this issue is that truck drivers are often under pressure to meet tight deadlines. Working beyond a person’s physical capabilities can lead to negative effects that mimic alcohol or drug impairment, such as:
- Having slower reaction times
- Falling asleep behind the wheel
- Misjudging distances
- Failing to notice traffic signals or hazards
- Impaired motor skills
- Blurry vision
These impairments can increase the likelihood of a serious accident occurring.
Federal Hours of Service Regulations
The federal hours of service (HOS) regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) aim to prevent truck accidents caused by driver fatigue. These rules limit the number of hours a truck driver can work in a given timeframe and provide for mandatory breaks. The rules that truck drivers are subject to include the following:
- A maximum of eleven hours of driving time after ten consecutive hours off duty
- A maximum of 14 hours after coming on duty
- A mandatory 34 hours of consecutive time off after being on duty for 60 or 70 hours over the last seven or eight days
Additionally, drivers must use electronic logging devices that log their hours.
Proving Truck Driver Fatigue
To recover compensation for a fatigue-related truck accident, you will need to prove that the truck driver was likely fatigued and that this contributed to the accident. Some forms of evidence that can help this type of truck accident case may include the following:
- Electronic logging devices, event data recorders, and hours of service logs
- Dispatch and delivery schedules
- Work history and employment records
- Onboard camera footage showing signs of drowsiness
- Company communication records that show the tight deadlines truck drivers were subject to
- Witness testimony
- Reports from accident reconstruction records
Who Is Responsible for Truck Accidents Caused by Fatigue?
Various parties could potentially be responsible for fatigue-related accidents. The driver could be responsible for violating HOS rules that contributed to the accident. If the trucking company encouraged these violations or ignored them, they could be responsible. Additionally, trucking companies can be held liable for the driver’s negligence. Third-party logistics firms could also be held liable for such accidents if a third-party logistics firm arranged unrealistic delivery deadlines.
Contact an Experienced OKC Truck Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation
If you were harmed in an accident and suspect driver fatigue played a part, reach out to the legal team at Oklahoma Injury Law Firm. We can preserve critical evidence before it is lost or destroyed, identify various forms of evidence that can help prove your case, identify all parties responsible for your injuries, and fight for your fair compensation. Call us today at (405) 310-8800 for a free consultation.