Truck driver fatigue is when physical or mental exhaustion impairs a driver’s performance and ability to operate the vehicle safely. It can deplete attention spans, cause slower response times to events happening on the road, and result in poor decision-making.

Florida truck accident attorney Ted Babbitt answered the question: Does truck-driver fatigue cause many accidents on the road? in his article in The Palm Beach Post.

Rules and laws exist to help combat truck driver fatigue:

  • The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours of Service (HOS)- dictate how long truckers are allowed to drive for any given stretch when they must take breaks, and how they keep track of their time around these activities.
  • Electronic logging devices (ELDs)- provide more accurate information about how long a truck has been on the road compared to a handwritten log. They also transmit data to the carrier and, in the event of an accident or roadside inspection, can function as evidence of whether the driver was legally allowed to be behind the wheel at the time of the accident.

More effort in recent years has been put into developing new technologies that can detect fatigue and educating truckers themselves on fatigue management skills.

Nonetheless, accidents still happen because of this fatigue. If you or your loved one is a victim of a car accident, you will want to consult an experienced truck accident attorney as to how you should proceed in order to claim compensation for your injuries. To schedule a free consultation, call Ted at (561) 375-2841, his team will answer your questions and give you an honest assessment of your case.