Trucker fatigue the focus of 2018 International Roadcheck
The International Roadcheck is a three-day inspection spree conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. Its purpose is to enforce safety guidelines for bus and commercial truck drivers. An annual event, the roadcheck took place this year from June 5 to 7 and focused on the issue of hours-of-service non-compliance. Drivers in Louisiana who get wary when sharing the road with truckers will want to know more about this unsafe trend.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, over 33,000 truckerswere cited for violations of hours-of-service guidelines during last year’s International Roadcheck. Many exceeded the 14-hour limit for a given work shift or neglected to take the minimum 8 hours of rest before beginning a shift. These violations are now easier to detect thanks to electronic logging devices. The U.S. DoT mandated the use of such devices on all commercial trucks in 2017.
Still, the number of truckers who violate these guidelines can be alarming. One consequence is that there are more fatigued truckers on the road. The FMCSA notes that impairment, whether caused by fatigue, illness or alcohol or drug use, is a major factor in truck accidents. There were 157 fatal truck crashes in 2016, and large truck traffic is estimated to grow by more than 60 percent by 2040.
Since truck driver fatigue can be prevented, truckers who cause an accident because they were sleepy or inattentive behind the wheel will be to blame for negligence. Victims might choose to file a claim against the trucking company and, if successful, be reimbursed for medical expenses, vehicle damage and lost wages. A lawyer may help when filing a claim because trucking companies can be aggressive in denying payment. It may take a lawyer’s team of professionals to investigate the accident and gather all the evidence of negligence.
Tags: Truck Accidents
