Drowsy Driving a Leading Cause of Truck Accidents

 Posted on November 14,2018 in Truck Accidents

Every year, thousands of commercial trucking accidents occur throughout the United States. Due to the sheer size of the vast majority of commercial trucks, it should come as no surprise that many of these accidents lead to serious injuries or fatalities. Throughout 2016 alone, just under 4,000 Americans died in truck accidents. If you or a member of your family are injured in a commercial trucking accident, it is entirely likely that the accident was caused by a driver’s negligence or company oversight.

The Dangers of Drowsy Driving

Thousands of Americans die on an annual basis due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel. According to studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 72,000 crashes occurred in 2013 due to drowsy driving. In all, over 800 Americans lost their lives in 2013 due to the negligence of drowsy drivers.

Drowsy driving is becoming increasingly common among commercial truck drivers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists commercial truck drivers as one of the likeliest demographics to fall asleep at the wheel. Despite the fact that commercial truck drivers are only legally allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours at a time, many truck drivers admit to violating this law. Driving for an extended amount of time has a direct correlation to collisions caused by driver fatigue. 

Why Commercial Truck Accidents are So Dangerous

Due to the overwhelming mass of most commercial trucks, it should come as no surprise that 97% of fatalities involving commercial trucks and passenger vehicles throughout 2016 were occupants of the passenger vehicles. Commercial truck drivers have a responsibility to protect all other drivers on the road, and they should only drive when they are operating at peak performance capacity. Commercial trucks are difficult to operate due to their limited steering capabilities and slower braking systems. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), commercial trucks require 40% longer distance to stop, in comparison to standard passenger vehicles. When a driver’s reaction time is slowed because of fatigue, they may become unable to avoid an accident.

Contact a Lake County Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer

If you or a family member are injured in a motor vehicle collision involving a commercial truck, it is time to seek out legal representation. In the vast majority of commercial trucking accidents, driver error, company oversight, or vehicular malfunction is to blame. At Salvi and Maher, L.L.C., our team of attorneys are dedicated to ensuring that you and your loved ones receive the full compensation that you deserve when you are injured by a truck driver who negligently operated their vehicle while they were fatigued. To set up a free consultation with a Waukegan truck accident attorney, call us today at 847-662-3303. 

Sources:

https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks#Trends

https://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowsydriving/index.html