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When truck drivers do not have adequate rest or drive for too long, they can fall asleep behind the wheel. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and the CDL manual give drivers of commercial vehicles the rules they need to follow in terms of how many hours that they can drive safely before they need to rest. Pressure to deliver cargo quickly can cause drivers to ignore the guidelines for rest in favor of making their deadlines.
Tired truckers can cause accidents just like any other motorist, and trucks can do a lot more damage than a car because of their size. When you are injured in a truck driver fatigue accident in New Brunswick, consult a dedicated truck accident attorney. They could help you get compensation from the truck driver or their employer for their negligent actions.
A fatigued commercial vehicle operator could cause just about any type of accident, because their ability to react is compromised. For example, they could drift into another lane and be unable to stop in time.
Following the regulations regarding rest-time is one way that truckers can avoid accidents. They could also make sure they drive safely by not exceeding the regulation-allowed number of hours on the road and getting adequate sleep, even when they are on a tight timeline to make deliveries. Consequences of inadequate rest for a commercial vehicle operator include:
A lawyer could use an expert witness to testify whether a fatigued truck driver incident in New Brunswick was caused by the driver working too many hours without enough sleep.
Truck drivers are required to keep a log that notes the number of hours they are operating the vehicle. This log should be reviewed by their employer, to ensure that the driver is not in violation of the number of hours they are allowed to work. When an accident occurs, a law enforcement officer can review the logs to learn whether the commercial vehicle driver took their legally required rest breaks.
Commercial motor vehicle operators who cause an accident stand to lose their CDL license. Injured people have the right to sue the driver personally, as well as the trucking company. A New Brunswick lawyer with experience in tired truck driver crashes could look at an incomplete log, or one that shows the driver did not take their breaks, and use it as evidence of liability.
Driving while extremely tired or unfocused can have the same disastrous results as driving while intoxicated. Truck driver fatigue accidents in New Brunswick have the potential to cause serious property damage and catastrophic injury because of the size and weight of the truck. When you are injured, you may have the right to receive compensation if the defendant is found to be liable. Call our firm to schedule a free consultation.