How Can Truck Driver Fatigue Lead to Serious Traffic Accidents?

 Posted on July 25, 2019 in Personal Injury

Traffic accidents can be dangerous, no matter what type of vehicles are involved. Truck accidents can cause serious injuries, and sometimes even fatalities, due to their immense size and weight. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were more than 4,600 large trucks involved in fatal traffic crashes in 2017, and approximately 107,000 trucks involved in traffic crashes that resulted in injuries. When trucks are involved in accidents, the resulting damage to vehicles and passengers can be severe.

What Are “Hours of Service” Rules?

Truck drivers do exactly that for a living--they drive trucks. This means they are typically on the road for hours at a time, which can make them very tired. This is why the FMCSA has implemented many rules to keep truck drivers and others on the road safe. “Hours of service” rules are regulations that were put in place to limit the amount of time a truck driver spends behind the wheel. It is not uncommon for truck drivers to violate these rules, but when they do, they can lead to serious accidents.

For trucks that are carrying property, the following rules apply to drivers:

• They can only work for a maximum of 11 consecutive hours.

• They can only drive for 11 consecutive hours after they have had 10 consecutive hours off duty.

• They are only permitted to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) if it has been eight hours or less from their last break of at least 30 minutes.

• They are not permitted to operate a CMV after they have logged 60 hours on duty in a seven-day time period or 70 hours on duty in an eight-day time period. The clock is reset after 34 consecutive hours.

Proving “Hours of Service” Violations

If you were involved in an accident with a truck, you may be suffering from severe injuries. Violations of the hours of service rules are generally taken very seriously, and if you can prove that a truck driver has, in fact, violated those safety precautions, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills or lost wages due to your injuries. An attorney may be able to discover hours of service violations by looking at:

• Logbooks that show driving time and breaks

• Electronic records from logging devices that are on certain trucks

• The truck driver’s text messages, call logs, and/or emails

• Information from the truck driver’s GPS

Contact a Bloomingdale, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney

Most of the time, when trucks get into accidents with smaller vehicles, the passengers in those automobiles are the ones who suffer, due to the large size difference between the vehicles. If you have been injured, or if a loved one has been killed due to an accident with a truck, you should contact a DuPage County personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, we understand how devastating a truck accident can be for you and your entire family. Our experienced legal team will determine liability in your accident and pursue the appropriate compensation for you. Call our office today at 630-932-9100 to schedule a free consultation.