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Home > Personal Injury > Accidents > Trucks / Semis Accidents > Driver Fatigue
Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Attorneys
in Denver and throughout Colorado and Wyoming
Tired and sleepy truck drivers create a serious hazard on the road. It is estimated that up to 40% of trucking accidents involve driver fatigue. Hours-of-service (HOS) rules are laws dictating how many consecutive hours a driver may spend on the road, how many hours they must wait in between driving times, and the total number of hours they are allowed to drive during a day and a week.
Click to view our video about "Trucking Driver Fatigue"
HOS regulations can only accomplish so much. There are many other factors which cause driver fatigue including:
- Night driving
- Irregular schedules
- Physical work in between driving hours
- Hot weather
- Weather conditions which cause poor visibility
- Bad traffic
- Monotonous driving
- Trying to sleep during the day
- Lack of places to park
- Trying to sleep in noisy conditions
- Health problems
- Poor eating habits
- Stress
- Problems at home
- Sleep disorders
- Depression
HOS regulations allow for no more than 10 consecutive hours of driving and a total of 11 hours of driving in a day. Once a driver has reached his maximum hours of driving in a day he or she is required to wait 10 hours before driving again. The purpose is to allow for eight hours of sleep each day. However, it is not always possible for truck drivers to sleep during this time off. Some simply cannot sleep on command, and many spend their time "off" loading and unloading their trucks.
Sleep deprivation accumulates over time. Poor sleep can be just as bad as a total lack of sleep. Drivers who do not get enough real rest will suffer increasing fatigue as their work week progresses, being the most tired at the end of the week. HOS regulations require that truck drivers have 34 consecutive hours off each week. This can give them the opportunity to repay sleep debt, catch up on much needed rest, and start the week out fresh. However, many truckers spend this time catching up on life, spending time with their families.
Truck drivers are required to keep extensive records. They must keep a log of their hours on the road and their rest periods. They also have to keep receipts for fuel purchases and other expenses. Many drivers will fake log entries to get in more driving time. Some can get away with it for a while. The receipts, however, have time and date stamps and give locations. Ultimately this information can reveal driving patterns such as driving for too many hours or speeding.
When drivers get tired they often compound fatigue with drug use. Coffee doesn't go very far in combating real sleep deprivation. Stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamines, will often help drivers stay awake, but they can cause confusion and paranoia and impair judgment, all leading to driving errors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accident Lawsuits
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If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or if a loved one was killed in a trucking accident in Colorado, Wyoming or anywhere in the US, you may have the right to file a truck accident lawsuit. Burg Simpson has the experience, and the resources, to ensure that you can recover the damages you deserve for your injuries and your losses. Please call or email our trucking accident lawyers today to schedule your free initial consultation.
