Driving on long stretches of highway can be tiring for anyone. Remaining fully aware of what is happening on the road can sometimes be difficult, especially when a person is tired after a long day or is driving at night. These issues are especially prevalent for truck drivers, who spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel on a daily basis.

The risks of driver fatigue are always present for truck drivers, and dangerous truck accidents can occur when drivers fall asleep at the wheel, nod off for a few seconds, or struggle to pay attention to the road and the traffic around their vehicles. People who have been injured in truck accidents might be able to take steps to obtain financial compensation. A skilled truck accident attorney may be able to help injury victims determine their legal options in these cases.

Why Truck Drivers May Experience Fatigue

Fatigue rarely has a single cause. For truck drivers, a combination of issues can lead to drowsiness or fatigue, including:

• Irregular Schedules: Rotating shifts, early-morning departures, and nighttime driving may disrupt a truck driver’s sleep rhythms, making them more likely to become tired or drowsy.
• Long Hours Behind the Wheel: Extended driving time can lead to mental and physical strain. Even when truck drivers follow regulations that limit the number of hours they can drive, fatigue may accumulate over multiple days.
• Sleep Quality: Truck drivers might not get enough rest when sleeping in sleeper berths or unfamiliar motels. Issues such as noise, temperature, and parking availability can affect their ability to get the quality sleep they need.
• Sleep Disorders: Conditions such as sleep apnea can cause truck drivers to experience fatigue even if they sleep regularly.
• Time Pressure: Tight delivery windows, unexpected traffic, delays due to weather, and time spent at loading docks may limit the amount of time in which truck drivers can receive sufficient rest.
• Monotonous Driving: Straight, unvarying highways can cause truck drivers to lapse into a state in which they may not be fully aware of what is happening around them. “Highway hypnosis” can lead to drowsiness, especially when driving late at night or early in the morning.
• Health and Lifestyle Factors: Issues such as dehydration, heavy meals, and limited opportunities for exercise may increase the risks of driver fatigue. Certain types of medications might also cause a driver to become tired or drowsy.

How Driver Fatigue Contributes to Truck Accidents

Fatigue is often compared to alcohol impairment because of the way it might affect a person’s ability to drive safely. Some of the issues that truck drivers might experience when they are fatigued include:

• Reduced Vigilance: Drivers might miss cues such as brake lights, changing traffic patterns, or debris in the roadway.
• Slower Reactions: A driver’s ability to react to changing conditions on the road may be delayed. They may take longer to brake, or they may not be able to adjust steering in time to avoid a collision.
• Decision Errors: Drivers may be more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors such as unsafe passing or failing to adjust their speed in poor weather.
• Lane Deviations: Due to a lack of alertness, a driver may drift out of their lane. This might cause them to sideswipe other vehicles, or they might even cross the road and collide with oncoming vehicles.
• Microsleeps: When experiencing extreme fatigue, truck drivers may experience brief, uncontrollable lapses into sleep. When a truck is in motion, a driver might lose control after closing their eyes for a few seconds.

As a result of truck driver fatigue, rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, roadway departures, jackknife accidents, rollover accidents, or other dangerous accidents could occur. When truck drivers fall asleep while driving on busy highways or major freeways, they might cause multi-vehicle accidents that can lead to extensive damage and serious or fatal injuries. In these situations, a truck accident lawyer may be able to help determine whether fatigue was a factor, and they might work to help victims recover financial compensation.

Evidence of Fatigue After a Truck Accident

Determining whether a truck driver was drowsy or fatigued when a truck accident occurred is not always easy. Certain types of evidence may play a role in these cases, including:

• Logbook and Electronic Data: Hours-of-service records, electronic logging devices, and data from onboard computers can show that a truck driver had been on the road for extended hours or did not take sufficient off-duty time.
• Dispatch and Delivery Records: A review of trucking company schedules can show that a truck driver engaged in overnight driving or back-to-back shifts and did not receive enough rest time.
• Hotel and Fuel Receipts: Paper trails can confirm where and when a truck driver was driving and when they took rest periods.
• Witness Statements and Video: People who observed an accident may describe drifting, inconsistent speed, or lack of braking, which might be indicators of fatigue.

Gathering evidence related to a truck accident can be a complex process. A truck accident attorney may be able to perform an investigation to uncover the necessary evidence and demonstrate that a driver’s fatigue was responsible for the injuries suffered by a victim.

Liability Considerations in Fatigue-Related Truck Crashes

Multiple parties may be liable for a truck accident. Victims might be able to hold these parties responsible, and they could be compensated for the damages they have suffered, including their injuries and financial losses. Liability issues that may play a role in these cases include:

• Driver Liability: A truck driver may be found to be responsible for a truck accident if they acted negligently while operating their vehicle. Negligence may include driving while dangerously tired, falsifying logs, or violating safety rules.
• Motor Carrier Liability: A trucking company may be liable for an accident because of issues such as negligent scheduling, inadequate supervision, insufficient training, or pressuring drivers to continue driving when they were fatigued.
• Third-Party Liability: Shippers, brokers, dispatchers, or maintenance providers may share responsibility if their actions contributed to unsafe schedules, unrealistic delivery expectations, or mechanical issues that added to a driver’s workload.

Following a truck accident, issues related to insurance coverage can be complex. Different parties may carry different policies, and coordinating claims among multiple insurers can be difficult. To make sure liability is established correctly and the proper coverage is provided, a victim may wish to work with a truck accident lawyer to address these concerns.

Legal Help in Truck Accident Cases

Fatigue is an unavoidable issue for truck drivers. Taking steps to address fatigue and maintain safety on the road is essential. When truck drivers and their employers fail to do so, people may suffer serious injuries in truck accidents. In these situations, injury victims may not always know what to do. By receiving legal help from a skilled attorney, a victim can determine the ideal path forward so that they can recover from their injuries and move forward with their life.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For advice tailored to your specific situation, please consult a licensed truck accident attorney.