Understanding Your Rights After an Ontario Trucking Accident Caused by a Fatigued Driver Harms You
There are many different factors which can lead to trucking accidents, with driver fatigue contributing to many trucking accidents. Driving while fatigued is incredibly dangerous, with its’ effects being compared to drunk driving. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, driver fatigue is one of the top ten causes of trucking accidents, with approximately 18,000 trucking accidents caused by truck driver fatigue. Our Ontario trucking accident lawyers at the Caruso Law Offices, P.C. understand how catastrophic accidents involving truck driver fatigue often are, and are prepared to help victims of commercial trucking accidents due to truck driver fatigue recover the compensation they deserve. That’s why, when you are injured in an Ontario trucking accident caused by a fatigued driver, you need to call us.
Our bodily injury law firm in New Mexico and California has handled some of the most catastrophic and devastating types of trucking accidents in the United States. We have recovered over $30 million for victims and their families since 2016, and we have continued to be one of the leading personal injury law firms in the region. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in any type of trucking accident involving a fatigued or tried driver, please call our experienced Ontario trucking accident lawyers to learn how we can help you and your family recover the compensation that you deserve.
Why Is Truck Driver Fatigue Dangerous?
Truck driver fatigue is dangerous because being fatigued at the wheel impairs judgement, slows response time, and causes impairment of attention. Controlling a truck is much harder than a smaller vehicle, so if a commercial truck encounters an obstacle in the road or a car in front of them slows quickly, their response time may be impaired, leading to a crash.
Signs of Fatigued Commercial Truck Drivers
When a truck driver is fatigued, they are more likely to lose control of their vehicle leading to catastrophic accidents. Some of the most common signs of truck driver fatigue include the following:
- Drifting off of the road
- Swaying or swerving in between lanes
- Inappropriate acceleration
Causes of Truck Driver Fatigue
There are certain factors that can lead to truck driver fatigue. Fatigue often is caused by a lack of sleep, but can be caused by other reasons that lead to an Ontario trucking accident caused by a fatigued driver. Some of the most common causes of truck driver fatigue includes the following:
- Driving too many hours – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has federal guidelines that dictate how many hours drivers can drive in one day, week, and consecutively. Violation of these guidelines can lead to fatigued driving which subsequently can lead to trucking accidents.
- Use of Certain Medications – Certain medications can lead to impaired driving and truck driver fatigue, leading to trucking accidents. Many medications have warnings that state individuals taking these medications should avoid operating heavy machinery. Violation of these warnings can lead to trucking accidents.
- Driving during hours that are considered naturally driving – Drivers who drive between the hours of 12a a.m. and 6 a.m. as well as between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. are at a higher risk of truck driver fatigue. This is because the body becomes naturally fatigued during these hours of the day.
- Sleep disorders that are left untreated – Untreated or undiagnosed sleep disorders place commercial truck drivers at great risk for fatigued driving. An example of this is sleep apnea.
Injured in an Ontario Trucking Accident Caused by a Fatigued Driver? Call Our Law Firm For Help
Our trucking accident lawyers at the Caruso Law Offices, P.C. understand how devastating and preventable commercial trucking accidents involving truck driver fatigue. Commercial trucking accidents involving truck driver fatigue are entirely preventable, and our lawyers feel that these truck drivers and trucking lawyers should be held responsible for any injuries caused by a commercial trucking accident involving truck driver fatigue. We are here to help you recover the compensation that you deserve. To learn more, please call (505) 384-7865 to schedule a FREE consultation with our lawyers who handle cases involving a car crash in New Mexico or California.
We handle trucking accident cases in Inland Empire, Ontario, and San Bernardino County, California, as well as all other types of motor vehicle accidents throughout New Mexico, including Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Roswell, Cuervo, Rio Rancho, Clovis, Farmington, Hobbs, Albuquerque where our office is located, and anywhere else throughout New Mexico. Our second trucking accident office in California serves those in Inland Empire County and San Bernardino County, as well as those who have been catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed through California. Please call to schedule for FREE appointment by dialing (505) 384-7865 or contact us through our website’s easy to use and convenient contact box available here.