TIRED TRUCKERS ARE A SERIOUS HAZARD ON THE ROAD
Fatigued truck drivers are a major concern on the roads. I am a personal injury attorney in Chicago with extensive experience in truck and car crash cases and I have seen firsthand the sad outcome of truckers driving while fatigued.
Under current U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration hours-of-service (HOS) regulations, commerical motor vehicle drivers may drive up to 10 hours after a mandatory 8-hour off-duty period. A 1996 study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that commerical motor vehicle drivers obtained an average of about 2 hours less sleep than their daily "ideal" requirements.
A report on "drowsy driving" by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that a typical crash related to sleepiness has the following characteristics:
The problem occurs during late night/ early morning or midafternoon.The crash is likely to be serious.
A single vehicle leaves the roadway.
The crash occurs on a high-speed road.
The driver does not attempt to avoid a crash.
The driver is alone in the vehicle.
Unfortunately, operating a heavy tractor trailer without sufficient sleep can lead to disastrous consequences.
My firm has obtained successful outcomes in numerous personal injury and wrongful death cases involving trucks. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident involving a truck or an automobile, please contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll.
