One of the most common
causes of accidents involving large trucks is lack of sleep. In fact, the US
Department of Transportation estimates that up to 28% of truck drivers could
have sleep apnea. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
(NHTSA) actually estimates that about as many as 83,000 accidents annually can
be traced to drivers who doze off behind the wheel of their vehicles. The
annual average includes almost 886 fatal crashes (2.5% of all fatal crashes), an
estimated 37,000 injury crashes, and an estimated 45,000 property-damage-only
crashes. When you contribute these numbers to the fact that driver fatigue
contributes to 40% of all truck crashes shows how dangerous it is for other
drivers at night when sharing the road with sleep-deprived truck drivers.
Because of this issue, the
U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) have stepped up regulations in response to a growing
concern of truck accidents caused by drowsy drivers. Truck drivers generally
have to drive many hours and during irregular hours of the day. The tight
scheduling and insufficient time for recovery, as well as the physical work of
loading and unloading all lead to fatigue, which then leads to accidents. The
FMCSA has mandated new hours-in-service regulations to prevent driver fatigue.
These regulations:
-
Limits the
maximum average work week for truck drivers to 70 hours, a decrease from the
current maximum of 82 hours
-
Allows truck
drivers who reach the maximum 70 hours of driving within a week to resume if
they rest for a consecutive 34 hours, including at least two nights when their
body clock demands sleep the most (from 1-5 a.m.)
-
Requires truck drivers
to take a 30-minute break during the first eight hours of a shift.
-
11-hour daily
driving limit and 14-hour workday.
Companies who do not follow
these rules could be fined $11,000 per offense and the drivers themselves could
face civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense.
If
you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor,
Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield,
Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City
Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys
know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your
feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the
compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow
Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join
the conversation by using #MCAA.
