The Dangers of Truck Driver Exhaustion
Truck Drivers Extending their Regulated Hourly Limits
It is mind boggling when you realize the amount of goods that go across American highways to meet consumer demands. Those truckloads of items are delivered by a mass of truck drivers, who drive day and night to get products on to store shelves safely. It might seem very straightforward to get items loaded, follow a GPS route, and unload boxes of items, but there are regulations kept to ensure a safe delivery. It is quite unfortunate that these rules are been ignored by employed drivers and trucking companies thereby stretching the limits and jeopardizing the safety of those around them. The most common breach are truck drivers who drive beyond the prescribed federal time period limit thereby causing crashes and severe fatigue in many cases. Contact a personal injury attorney to assist you like Jeff Roberts & Associates, PLLC, if you suspect that your loved one has been seriously injured or killed by a fatigued truck driver.
Innocent Lives Cut Short
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set forth federal standards that apply to drivers of commercial vehicles. An hourly limit must be observed, if the gross weight is over 10, 001 pounds. The reduced possibility of driver’s fatigue is rationale behind the Hours of Service (HOS) rule and it is stated by the FMCSA that the risk of crashes and chronic health conditions are linked with lack of sleep due to long daily and weekly working hours.
The HOS put in place 10 hours of rest and 11- or 14-hour limit. There is also a mandatory 30-minute rest period during the driving hours. This is very important for keeping drivers awake and alert. Very subtly, fatigue sets in and even drivers are unaware when they are getting tired. Drifting into other lanes occurs and the reaction time to make the correction takes longer thereby putting other drivers on the highway in harms way.
Drivers are limited to a total maximum of 60 or 70 hours on duty in 7 or 8 consecutive days respectively, after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.
Every year, the US Department of Transportation records over 4000 crashes which are attributed to truck drivers driving to their death exhausted, and taking innocent lives with them as they cause carnage on the roads.
Compassionate Attorneys
It is a stressful and anxious time when lose a loved one or a family member suffering a life-threatening injury. There is nothing more painful than having a loved one killed in a preventable accident. These horrible accidents are usually caused by tired, exhausted truck drivers who have driven more hours that legally prescribed. We at Jeff Roberts & Associates, PLLC, can help with your personal injury claim. A level of normalcy to your everyday life can be partially restored through compensation and restitution for death or serious injuries of your loved ones. Contact us today at to learn more.
