Truck drivers are usually paid by the mile, making it more profitable to keep driving even when tired than to stop for a rest. Truck driver fatigue results from a lack of sleep, leading to an inability to focus properly on the tasks of driving and reacting appropriately. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that truck driver fatigue is more often a factor in fatal accidents than either drugs or alcohol.

Frequent Cause of Accidents

Statistics show that fatigue behind the wheel occurs primarily in the early morning hours, which would typically be rest periods for most people but are active driving times for truckers. A survey for the Journal of Public Health Policy found that 31% of drivers admitted to operating their trucks for more than 60 hours in seven days, exceeding legal limits.

Many truck drivers regard the log books that record hours on the road as a joke, but it’s not funny when their bad driving results in personal injury to you. Statistics from NHTSA show that millions of people are injured in big rig accident cases each year as a result of distraction or inattention, common terms in highway research that include driver fatigue.

Get Legal Representation

A Dallas accident attorney can help you recover compensation for injuries you receive in truck accidents. Getting compensation from insurance companies is often more difficult than you may imagine. Adjusters use every tactic to avoid paying your claim, and legal representation by a Dallas accident attorney gives you the best chance to get the compensation that you deserve.

The Barber Law Firm offers free consultations to assess personal injury cases. Contact us today for a free case review.