It is estimated that around 5,000 people are killed and around 150,000 are injured in the US each year as a result of truck accidents. Some of these accidents may involve drugs or alcohol, but driver fatigue is an even bigger factor. Driver fatigue is thought to play a role in nearly 40% of all truck accidents.
Truck driver fatigue can be directly linked to the long hours and stressful schedules required by the trucking companies. In a rush to deliver their goods, truck drivers will often skip sleep, take drugs to stay awake, or simply ignore the maximum hours of service regulations. Unfortunately, this puts the rest of us in danger.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are maximum driving regulations for truck drivers. The following apply to a property carrying commercial motor vehicle where the employing carrier operates them not every day of the week, subject to exceptions.
These driving regulations are:
- No more than 11 cumulative hours in a 14 hour period following ten consecutive hours off duty
- No more driving after 60 hours of being on duty in a seven consecutive day period.
- A seven consecutive day period may end with the beginning of 34 consecutive hours off duty
These rules were put into place to address concerns of the number of truck accidents as the result of driver fatigue. Fatigue significantly increases the chance for a truck accident, which often results in severe injuries and multiple vehicle pileups. It is inexcusable for a truck driver to drive to the point of exhaustion, since it places all the lives of those who are on the same road in danger.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Phoenix, or anywhere in Arizona, please contact experienced truck accident attorney Jerrold Mayro for a free confidential consultation.