How Truck Driver Fatigue Leads to Serious Wrecks in Pottsville
The trucking industry across Pennsylvania and the nation at large operates on tight schedules, leaving truck drivers vulnerable to fatigue. Spending long hours behind the wheel can be exhausting, making truck driver fatigue a serious concern. Ultimately, drowsy driving is hazardous, and truck accidents are among the deadliest on our roadways. Turn to an experienced truck accident attorney at Fanelli, Evans & Patel in Pottsville, PA, for the help you need.
Truckers and Drowsy Driving in Pottsville
Truck drivers are professional drivers who face stricter safety regulations, including hours-of-service requirements. Truckers, however, are paid by the mile, which can lead to fatigue and dangerously drowsy driving. Fatigued driving is often compared to impaired driving, and the effects are like those experienced by drunk drivers. These break down into several basic categories.
Lack of Attention
Not getting enough sleep can lead to microsleeps on the road. This is an involuntary episode of nodding off that is extremely dangerous when operating a massive machine.
Slowed Reaction Times
Drowsy truckers experience slowed reaction times, which means they have less time to respond safely to risks ahead. When combined with the fact that truckers require longer stopping distances, the impact intensifies.
Impaired Judgment
Fatigue increases the chances that truckers will engage in poor decision-making. This can translate to an array of dangers that include the following:
- Failing to pay adequate attention to the roadway ahead and traffic all around
- Misjudging distances
- Failing to check blind spots before changing lanes
Loss of Control
When a trucker isn’t well rested, some of their ability to control their 18-wheeler safely is sacrificed. Any loss of control with a big rig can have life-threatening consequences.
Difficulty Concentrating
Exhaustion can seriously impede a trucker’s ability to concentrate on driving safely, and distracted drivers are some of the most dangerous out there.
Truck Driver Negligence Often Causes Accidents
The immense difference between semis and other vehicles on the road creates a hazardous environment. Further, the occupants of the other vehicles involved are far more likely to be seriously injured than the truckers themselves are.
Often, truck accidents are the direct result of truck driver negligence, and a prime form of truck driver negligence is fatigue. Truck drivers are required to follow strict guidelines that determine how much active driving time they can log.
When truckers choose to put profits before safety by evading hours-of-service laws, they make our roadways far more dangerous for everyone on them. If a drowsy truck driver has injured you, you need skilled legal counsel on your side.
Reach Out to a Pottsville Truck Accident Lawyer Today
The knowledgeable truck accident attorneys at Fanelli, Evans & Patel appreciate the severity of truck accident claims involving fatigued truckers, and we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to help you. Contact us online or call 570-622-2455 today.