Accidents Caused By Driver Fatigue
Fatigue is a significant cause of serious trucking accidents. In an effort to curb excessive driving, federal regulations exist to limit drive times for trucks. In practice, “hours of service” laws stipulate that drivers:
- May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- May not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour, following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- May drive if 8 hours or less have passed since end of last off-duty or sleep period of at least 30 minutes.
- May not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days.*
Unfortunately, many drivers are pushed beyond these points by trucking companies that are trying to bolster the bottom line. In other cases, they continue to drive because they are provided an incentive.
When people are injured in truck accidents through no fault of their own because a truck driver broke these laws and was unnecessarily exhausted, it is important that the driver and the trucking company be held accountable to afford the injured driver or passenger all available resources.
Schedule A Free Initial Consultation Today
Learn more about truck driver fatigue in West Virginia by calling truck accident lawyers Johnstone & Gabhart, LLP in Charleston today at 877-416-5457, or emailing us.
