Blog

Accidents involving semi-trucks are some of the most deadly accidents that occur on California highways. With the highest volume of tractor-trailer traffic out of all the states, California averages nearly 500 fatalities each year involving truck crashes. According to a recent study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), drivers of big rigs, tractor-trailers, 18 wheelers and other commercial trucks are ten times more likely to be the cause of trucking accidents than other factors such as bad weather conditions, road conditions, and vehicle performance.

One of the main causes of trucking accidents is driver fatigue. California Motor Vehicle Code 21702 makes it illegal to drive your big rig or commercial bus if you have not gotten an adequate amount of sleep. In addition, the FMCSA has implemented the Hours of Service Regulation which limits when and how long commercial motor vehicle drivers may drive. The Hours of Service Regulation is designed to decrease trucking accidents caused by drivers who are inattentive or fall asleep behind the wheel.

Compliance with these regulations requires drivers to keep logs of drive time and sleep time. Under the federal regulations, a truck driver can only drive for a maximum of 11 hours when working a 14 hour day. A study conducted by FMSCA revealed that there was a significant relationship between daytime performance and the amount of sleep obtained the previous night. This study demonstrated that a driver who was given 3 hours of sleep one night and then 8 hours of sleep for 3 consecutive nights could not perform at optimum levels.

The good news about driver fatigue is that it can be prevented by enforcing the requirement that truck drivers keep logs of drive and sleep time. The National Transportation Safety Board recently recommended a change to the traditional handwritten logs in order to prevent falsification of log entries. This change would require the installation of electronic record keeping devices in all trucks which would regulate rest periods.

Drivers of commercial vehicles are personally responsible for their decision to drive while fatigued. Accidents are caused by a variety of unpredictable circumstances and the person operating a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds should be driving with the utmost care. If you or someone you love has been injured in a trucking accident, you should contact our truck accident attorneys at The Roberts Law Firm in Orange County. Truck accident attorney Jeff Roberts is dedicated to seeking compensation for victims injured by the negligence of truck drivers.