What is Driver’s Fatigue?
Lack of sleep is a common cause of preventable truck accidents. Lack of sleep impairs judgment and reaction time and puts the driver at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. Since long-haul truckers work many hours to cover long distances, it is not uncommon for drivers to suffer sleep deprivation, disruption of normal sleep cycles, and dangerous fatigue. When this happens in an 80,000-pound vehicle, the results can be disastrous.
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a truck accident caused by a fatigued driver, Todd Miner Law®️ may be able to help you recover compensation for your losses. With decades of combined experience, we fight aggressively to hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies responsible for their carelessness.
What are the FMCSA Hours of Service Regulations?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires commercial truck drivers to comply with Hours of Service regulations. These rules outline how many hours a truck driver is allowed to work in one on-duty period and sets requirements for mandatory rest periods. For example, a property-carrying driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Furthermore, drivers must take a rest break of at least 30 minutes after driving for eight hours. While many drivers faithfully adhere to these regulations, there are unfortunately some who choose to ignore these rules in order to meet deadlines and make more money. All too often, the result is a serious accident causing injury to other innocent drivers.