At Binder & Associates, our Encino, California truck accident attorneys understand that throughout the United States, commerce relies on the trucking and transportation industry’s ability to work around the clock.
Unfortunately, our Los Angeles County personal injury lawyers also know that when drivers suffer from fatigue, their potential to cause an accident is higher than their well-rested counterparts. The bigger problem is, these large commercial vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and cause life-changing injuries during a collision that could have been prevented with something as simple as sleep.
Why Are Truck Drivers More Commonly Fatigued Than Passenger Vehicle Drivers?
To be clear, anyone who has not had adequate sleep may be negligently operating a vehicle – whether it is a car, truck, or motorcycle. Lack of sleep can jeopardize anyone’s ability to pay attention, react quickly, or make good decisions while driving, which can cause serious accidents with severe injuries.
Truck drivers are more commonly fatigued because of:
- Extended work hours and long commutes
- Strenuous work activity
- Use of drugs or alcohol to induce sleep
- Untreated medical issues, like sleep apnea
- Lack of adequate sleep, as they worry about delivery schedules and time away from home
- Driving on tight deadlines and delivery schedules
Drowsy driving is widespread throughout the United States, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration lists that driver fatigue causes thousands of accidents each year throughout the country. Last year, driver fatigue led to 795 deaths on our roadways.
One of the professions with the highest levels of inadequate sleep includes transport occupations, which include semi-truck drivers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has developed stringent Hours of Service Regulations stating how long truck drivers can be on the road before taking breaks, and time away from behind the wheel.
While employers are required to educate drivers on the hazards of drowsy driving and provide employee training on dealing with the symptoms of fatigue, those guidelines are usually discounted when delivery schedules affect their bottom lines.
When these regulations are violated by the driver — or as a direct order from the trucking company — and an accident occurs, negligence becomes the driving factor in pursuing your full financial recovery.
Have You Been Injured In A Encino Truck Accident?
If you have been injured in a truck accident, there may be several parties that are responsible for your injuries and overall financial recovery, and we can help you hold them responsible for their negligence by calling our truck accident attorneys in Encino, California at Binder & Associates today at (818) 659-8588. Each of our experienced personal injury attorneys provides free consultations, so we can learn more about your unique truck accident and your injuries to provide the advice and information you need to make an informed decision regarding your legal case. Call us now to learn more.
