Truck Driver Fatigue

If you've ever been on a long road trip, you know how tiring it can be. You know how fatigued you can become after just a few hours on the road, how your attention can wander. The career of a truck driver is one long road trip, and fatigue is a huge occupational hazard.

Although truck drivers are required to comply with federal Hours of Service (HoS) regulations to ensure they are not on the road too long, some truckers routinely skirt these regulations to get in more miles and earn more pay. Worse, some trucking companies encourage this type of behavior or turn a blind eye to HoS violations. When this occurs, you and your family may be caught in a dangerous or deadly truck accident.

Often, the problem is that trucking companies set unrealistic schedules for truck drivers. Truckers must accept these schedules because they need to work, but the outcome may be an increased risk of accidents, because:

• Truckers may not take full breaks required in HoS regulations
• Truckers may be forced to take irregular sleep breaks, making it hard to get necessary rest, even when taking requisite off duty time
• Truckers may drive at excessive speeds to make up time "lost" resting
• Truckers may skip vital tasks such as vehicle and cargo inspection, or perform them superficially

Overall, the result is that these unrealistic schedules put you and your family at an increased risk of suffering in a dangerous truck accident.

If you have been hurt or lost a loved one due to a trucking accident, the Luhrsen Law Group in Sarasota, Florida can help. Please contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.