Oklahoma Truck Accident Lawyers Helping Victims of Fatigued Truck Drivers

Tired Truckers Can Cause Serious Accidents on Oklahoma Highways

Impaired and fatigued truckers have become a national concern. Those who drive too many hours without sleep put our families and loved ones at risk. Driving while fatigued is one of the most common causes of truck accidents and leads to serious or even fatal results. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident caused by a fatigued driver, the experienced Oklahoma truck accident attorneys at Stipe Law Firm have the dedication and skill to help you through the legal process and fight for your right to appropriate compensation.

Rest Breaks Are Required by Law

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), “nearly 4,000 people die in large truck crashes each year and driver fatigue is a leading factor.” In December 2011, the FMCSA created a new rule to stop truckers from driving while fatigued by making changes to the existing “hours of service” rules. The new rule updated two earlier requirements:

• Truckers must take a 30-minute break within the first 8 hours of their driving shifts, so that they remain alert on the road.
• A 34-hour rest period, known as the “restart,” must now be met once every seven days, and it must include at least two periods of rest between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

The updated rule means that a driver can catch up on sleep before working another long week. The overall effect of these changes has been reducing the average maximum amount a trucker can drive in a week from 82 hours to 70 hours.

Why Some Drivers Operate Their Trucks Even When Fatigued

An article in Trucker’s Report explains that shippers and receivers give specific times for drivers to load or unload their trucks, but frequently fail to keep these appointments. A driver’s waiting time can be as long as 6 or 8 hours, and is not compensated. The driver must wait without sleep until the cargo is loaded or unloaded. Since most drivers are paid by the mile and not salaried, they only earn money when they are driving. This is why they have the need to drive as many miles per day as they can, whether they are fatigued or not. Even without sitting time problems, the lure of earning more money by driving more miles is hard to resist and may lead to violations of FMCSA rest regulations.