Semi-truck crashes can occur due to excessive speed, chemical intoxication or improper vehicle maintenance. Other times, a crash may be the direct result of driver fatigue.
Semi-truck drivers often work incredibly long shifts. Their employers may pressure them to stay on the road longer than the law allows. Write-ups for late deliveries, incentive pay for on-time deliveries and other employment practices can leave drivers feeling compelled to stay on the road longer than the law allows. In those cases, semi-truck drivers may potentially cause fatigue-related collisions.
Exhaustion diminishes driving capability
Motorists need to be aware of their surroundings. They sometimes need to make immediate decisions about how to respond to changing traffic conditions. Fatigue interferes with both of those capabilities.
Traffic safety researchers often compare drowsy driving to drunk driving. Extreme exhaustion affects people much like chemical impairment does. Drivers who have gone 20 hours or more without sleep may demonstrate driving abilities comparable to someone who is over the legal limit for their blood alcohol concentration.
Fatigue affects decision-making capability, reaction time and even mental focus. Both truck drivers and their employers can be liable for collisions caused by fatigue. Especially in cases involving a violation of the Hours of Service rules that limit how long commercial drivers are on the road, fatigue could be the underlying cause of the wreck.
Requesting compensation is a reasonable response to a preventable semi-truck crash caused by truck driver fatigue. Reviewing company policies and the records maintained by the electronic logging device (ELD) of a semi-truck with a skilled legal team could help those affected by commercial truck collisions verify if fatigue may have caused a recent wreck.
