Tired Truckers are Dangerous

What if you found out that the truck driver in the 18-wheeler beside you had been up for the last 34 hours? It is a frightening thought, but also a very real possibility.

A few years ago, a trucker who caused a truck accident that killed seven children was believed to have been up for more than 34 hours, except for a brief nap. The tragic truck accident occurred when the tractor-trailer smashed into the rear of a vehicle carrying the children. The car had stopped behind a school bus that was unloading students.

Even though there are federal and state regulations regarding the amount of hours a trucker is allowed to travel before resting, people are still breaking the rules. Truckers are under extreme pressure to deliver their loads on time and sometimes this pressure caused them to do things that are incredibly dangerous to other drivers on the road.

Unforeseen delays, such as road closures, traffic and weather conditions can cause a trucker to get behind schedule. In an effort to get back on track, many truckers make unwise decisions.

How big of a problem is trucker fatigue when it comes to truck accidents? There is a difference of opinion on the magnitude of driver fatigue, but a study found that it is one of the top ten factors involved in truck crashes. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study, conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), discovered that driver fatigue was a common factor in many of the hundreds of crashes reviewed.

Truckers are required by federal law to travel no more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. They are allowed to drive a maximum of 60 hours in a seven-day period or 70 hours during an eight-day period. Some safety advocates believe that allowing truckers to drive 11 hours without resting is dangerous. They feel that a trucker who has been driving for that many hours will not be as quick to react to avoid a collision.

If you have been injured in a Louisville truck accident, you need to contact Gray and White Law at 1-502-637-6000 or 1-800-637-6033 (toll free) for a free consultation regarding your case. A Kentucky truck accident attorney can help you recover compensation for your injuries.