Truckers help keep the American economy and supply chain intact. However, few people are aware of the immense pressure on truckers, which can lead to poor decisions, including drowsy driving. Truckers may struggle to get to sleep on time, wake up on time, or deal with the boredom and constant stress of being on the road. Their deadlines rarely change, even when driving conditions like bad weather or unusual traffic patterns do. As a result, many truckers get behind the wheel—or stay behind the wheel—when they are too exhausted to drive safely.
Driving while fatigued is hazardous behavior and can be as dangerous as driving while drunk. Just like drugs or alcohol, exhaustion can lead to increased reaction times, inattention, physical clumsiness, and more. Drivers may even fall asleep behind the wheel. If you or a loved one have been injured because of fatigued truck drivers in Merrillville accidents, you may be entitled to substantial compensation, and one of our seasoned truck accident attorneys at The Law Offices of David W. Holub could help.
Drowsy Driving Is Against the Law
State and federal laws prohibit truckers from continuing to drive if they perceive—or reasonably should perceive—conditions that make it unsafe for them to drive. Included in these laws is a prohibition against truckers driving while fatigued.
49 C.F.R. § 395.3 is the primary law that targets trucker fatigue by explicitly limiting how many hours a trucker can drive within a certain time, which are known as hours of service (HOS) rules. In general, truckers are permitted to have 14-hour shifts and can only drive 11 of those hours. After 8 hours of driving time, the driver must have at least a 30-minute break from driving. Before starting a shift—of any length—a trucker must have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Theoretically, these laws give plenty of time for a trucker to have a meal, get ready for bed, and get a full 8 hours of sleep before getting on the road again. However, that assumes that the trucker can fall asleep immediately. As a result, many truckers turn to drugs—over-the-counter, prescription, and illicit—to help them fall asleep or wake up in the morning. These drugs can further impair judgment and ability, contributing to the risks that come with drowsy driving.
While the laws are up-front, they are also easy for truckers to violate. Drivers self-report their behavior, and it is unusual for regulatory agencies to find those errors in the course of standard action. However, when law enforcement or victims suspect that driver fatigue played a role in a Merrillville truck accident, they can work backward to try to find evidence of HOS violations.
Why Fatigued Driving Is Dangerous
While scientists do not entirely understand the role of sleep and how it refreshes the body, they do know that sleep is necessary for the brain and body to function correctly. Even missing a few hours of sleep can impact function and mental acuity. Chronically missing sleep is even worse. It can lead to mood swings, impaired cognitive function, slower reaction times, headaches, and worse. It can even increase the underlying risk of serious diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, which can create hazards for drivers.
Trucks are 8 to 20 times as heavy as passenger vehicles, which means that they bring massive force to an accident, even at low speeds. The vast size also means longer stopping times and distances, increasing the risk of a wreck when a driver has a delayed reaction time.
Another risk is that the driver will actually fall asleep. If a trucker drifts off to sleep behind the wheel, they can run into other vehicles, pass into opposing traffic, or veer off the road—all can lead to severe injuries or fatalities in Merrillville truck wrecks.
Fatigued Truck Drivers in Merrillville Accidents
Truckers cover so many miles that you expect them to be at a higher risk of accidents than most drivers. However, the large size of their vehicles makes it even more critical that they do everything in their power to avoid getting into wrecks.
The seasoned attorneys at The Law Offices of David W. Holub could help you if you have been injured by a fatigued truck driver in a Merrillville accident. Call today and schedule a case evaluation to learn more.