With more pressure to make deadlines, deliveries, and spend long hours on the road, truck driver fatigue across the country is increasing.
A 2015 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) article notes that a Large Truck Crash Causation Study reported that 13% of commercial motor vehicle drivers were considered to have some type of fatigue at the time of their crash.
Basic Rules for Truck Drivers
Federal law allows truck drivers to drive for 11 consecutive hours after at least 10 consecutive hours spent somewhere other than driving their trucks. Of course, in such an independent and solo career, this is notoriously hard to monitor and up to the discretion of trucking companies and their drivers.
Obviously, truck drivers are expected to maintain complete sobriety behind the wheel and should practice elevated management and understanding even as their driving time approaches.
What Happens During Fatigue?
Truck Drivers can become drowsy and often make less appropriate or quick decisions when it comes to driving. The safety of them, their vehicles and others around them can become compromised, leading to an accident or worse.
The FMCSA finds that nighttime is an especially vulnerable time for accidents with more incidents having causation related to “time of day” rather than “time-on-task”. This means a higher potential for last-minute lane changes and other traffic decisions that could potentially put neighboring drivers or other truckers at risk.
Sometimes, drowsy drivers exhibit similar symptoms to drunk drivers (whether in a car or truck) and that leads to additional danger on roads in Arizona and across the country.
If you’ve been in a truck accident due to what you think could be driver fatigue, you may have additional options for further action and potential compensation. The team at Rabb & Rabb, PLLC understands the complexities of these accidents and have been helping Arizona victims for more than a decade. Call us today at (520) 888-6740 to schedule your free consultation.
