A truck accident involving a fatigued driver claim one life and injured another person earlier this year. The driver in the case has been accused of falsifying his log books to make it seem like he had complied with federal safety standards that require drivers to stop and rest at regular intervals. Instead, investigators say that the driver was on the road for more than 35 hours with only three and a half hours of sleep. Even for the most experienced driver with a lot of coffee, that is not healthy and is certainly not safe.
Truck accidents can be incredibly dangerous for other vehicles involved since the weight and size of the truck can overtake safety systems in smaller vehicles. In this case, the collision led to a small fire which injured one person and led to the death of another.
It is because of these consequences that regulators have worked to enact strict standards on commercial truck drivers to prevent dangerous situations from arising. However, drowsy or fatigued driving is often not taken as seriously as drunk driving or drugged driving, even though it can lead to the same tragic results.
This deadly accident has brought the issue to the forefront again, causing lawmakers such as United States Senator Dick Durbin to call for action on the part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to look closely at the accident and possible changes to regulations in response.
Victims of truck accidents should know that they can seek compensation from the trucking company responsible for the driver and that such compensation can include coverage for their medical expenses as well as lost earnings or other costs incurred as a result of the crash.
Source: NBC Chicago, “Sen. Durbin Calls For Tougher Trucking Oversight,” Marcus Riley, Jan. 31, 2013.