Hold Fatigued Drivers Responsible
Our San Angelo Personal Injury Lawyers are Ready to Help You
Driving an 18-wheeler is a major responsibility that requires proper education, years of experience, and acute awareness to do correctly. If this delicate balance is not maintained, truck accidents can result.
Driver fatigue can easily lead to loss of control of a vehicle. When a driver is tired, they may fail to notice and respond to hazards promptly. This can cause collisions and devastating injuries.
To schedule a free consultation with our legal team, complete our contact form or call (325) 221-0822.
The Dangers of Fatigued Driving
Truck drivers are often embarking on long drives, travelling from state to state, or even across the country. This means that they are driving for extended periods of time, and throughout all hours of the night. Such long and late-night travels can make truck drivers more susceptible to exhaustion and fatigue. Driver fatigue and sleep deprivation is one of the most common causes of truck accidents.
Driving while fatigued can cause truck drivers to:
-
Fall asleep
-
Be careless
-
Ignore signs forewarning them to take precaution
-
Panic or freeze up
About Hours of Service Regulations
Due to the set of federal regulations known as the "hours of service” laws, truck drivers must abide by a set of rules in order to avoid accidents caused by driver fatigue and sleep deprivation. These laws limit the amount of time that a driver can legally spend on the road and require drivers to periodically take breaks.
Hours of service regulations are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The regulations state that “property carrying drivers,” such as 18-wheeler drivers, may only drive for 11 total hours after being off duty for 10 consecutive hours. After 14 consecutive hours on duty, truckers must stop driving for the day. Truck drivers are required to take time to rest throughout their shift. The regulations also state that truckers “may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7 or 8 consecutive days.”
If you suspect that your accident was caused by a driver who was fatigued or fell asleep, it may benefit you and your case to determine if they were in violation of the hours of service rules. Truckers are supposed to keep logs of their trips and time spent driving, which could potentially serve as evidence in a truck accident case. Hours of service regulations can exhibit driver negligence as well as trucking company negligence. If a trucking company requires their drivers to drive beyond the hours established in the regulations, they could be liable for damages.
We'll Thoroughly Investigate on Your Behalf
By retaining our firm's representation, we can begin an investigation to figure out if the truck driver was in fact driving within violation of the hours of service rules. We can work with a network of investigators, expert witnesses, and other professionals in order to help our clients reach the conclusions they deserve. Our team has more than 150 years of collective experience, and our partners are board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury trial law. This means that we maintain the skills and resources that are necessary to help our clients get the compensation they deserve.
If you were injured in a truck accident and believe that the root of its cause was a fatigued driver, do not wait to contact our lawyers. We may be able to help you receive the justice and compensation you deserve!
