Was Your South Dakota Truck Accident the Result of Driver Fatigue?

Commercial trucking accidents are often devastating for the people in the other vehicles involved. Consider the vehicle that you drive to work everyday here in South Dakota. Even if you own a relatively beefy pickup truck or SUV, it will not fare well in a collision with a fully loaded 80,000-pound tractor-trailer.

Given the size and weight of these commercial vehicles, it is imperative that all truck owners and operators follow safe driving practices. We are not simply talking about the rules of the road. We are talking about taking steps to avoid driver fatigue.

How Hours of Service Rules Attempt to Combat “Drowsy Driving”

We all understand that certain driving behaviors are never safe. Take driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Even people who engage in drunk driving understand that they are breaking the law and risk not just causing a serious accident but also potential criminal prosecution.

When it comes to “drowsy driving,” however, many people do not seem to think it is as great of a problem. Yet in our experience as Sioux Falls truck accident lawyers, we often find that driver fatigue is the immediate cause of most serious crashes. The reason for this is quite simple to explain: Truck drivers often stay behind the wheel longer than is safe to do so.

Most of us only spend an hour or two driving each day for our commute. In contrast, commercial semi-truck drivers spend their entire workday operating a vehicle. For this reason, federal and state laws strictly regulate how long a truck driver can actually spend behind the wheel actively driving before they must stop to rest, eat, or just take a break from the monotony of the road.

These “Hours of Service” regulations are quite complex and contain a number of caveats and exceptions. But as a general rule, an interstate truck driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after spending at least 10 consecutive hours off-duty. For example, let’s say Susan is a truck driver. She was off-duty from midnight to 10 a.m. on Monday. Susan could then spend a maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel before she would need to stop and take another 10 consecutive hours off-duty.

Now, Susan cannot simply drive for 11 hours straight. The Hours of Service rules also require her to take a 30-minute break after spending a maximum of 8 hours on the road since her last break. And when taking any break periods into account, Susan must complete her 11 hours of total driving time no later than 14 hours after coming on duty. So if her shift began at 10 a.m. Monday, she needs to be off the road no later than midnight on Tuesday.

This may sound unnecessarily convoluted. But the Hours of Service rules exist to combat drowsy driving and help ensure that driver fatigue does not lead to a serious truck accident. Indeed, that is why one of the first things we look at when investigating an accident on behalf of our clients is to look at the available evidence to see if a driver ignored the rules and tried to keep driving past their legal limits.

Contact a Sioux Falls Truck Accident Lawyer Today

A fatigued driver is often not the only person who can be held legally accountable for a truck accident. Our Sioux Falls truck accident lawyers can investigate all of the parties involved and represent you in seeking full compensation for your injuries and other losses. Contact Hoy Law today at (605) 334-8900 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations