Fatigued Truck Drivers Pose a Serious Safety Risk for Missouri Drivers
Is there a difference between a "fatigued" truck driver and a "tired" truck driver? Absolutely. And the difference can be deadly, at least for Missouri drivers. A fatigued truck driver may not actually be sleepy. Instead, fatigue can result in poor motor skills, reflex/reaction time, recognition time, and impaired decision-making. The Department of Transportation and Department of Occupational Safety have long recognized that fatigue is a major safety concern in the commercial trucking industry. In fact, many trucking companies have safety courses strictly devoted to recognition and regulation of fatigued truck driving.
It is a commonly-known fact that many commercial truck drivers use over the counter stimulants to combat fatigue. Most truckers are compensated on the miles they drive within a specific period of time. There becomes a direct battle between profits and safety. In order to drive more miles, truck drivers purchase stimulants such as Red Bull, Yellow Jackets, Ephedrine, and 5-Hour Energy. Uppers work for a while, but the cause the user to 'crash', many times resulting in an extremely fatigued driver. Fatigue is a top cause of Missouri 18-wheeler injury claims and serious car accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations limit commercial truck drivers to 11 hours of drive time per 24 hour period. After driving a truck for 11 hours, the truck driver must accumulate 10 hours of off-duty time.
The hum of truck tires and the rumble of the diesel motor can make any truck driver dazy. In fact, it is reported that driver can occasionally fall asleep for seconds at a time without even recognizing it. Many operators are overweight and suffer from sleep apnea, a serious sleeping disorder in which the body awakes numerous times throughout the evening, keeping the brain from entering REM sleep, which is the most critical period of rest. If you have been involved in a car accident with a fatigued truck driver, contact the Missouri truck accident injury lawyers at Schultz Legal Group.
It is a commonly-known fact that many commercial truck drivers use over the counter stimulants to combat fatigue. Most truckers are compensated on the miles they drive within a specific period of time. There becomes a direct battle between profits and safety. In order to drive more miles, truck drivers purchase stimulants such as Red Bull, Yellow Jackets, Ephedrine, and 5-Hour Energy. Uppers work for a while, but the cause the user to 'crash', many times resulting in an extremely fatigued driver. Fatigue is a top cause of Missouri 18-wheeler injury claims and serious car accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations limit commercial truck drivers to 11 hours of drive time per 24 hour period. After driving a truck for 11 hours, the truck driver must accumulate 10 hours of off-duty time.
The hum of truck tires and the rumble of the diesel motor can make any truck driver dazy. In fact, it is reported that driver can occasionally fall asleep for seconds at a time without even recognizing it. Many operators are overweight and suffer from sleep apnea, a serious sleeping disorder in which the body awakes numerous times throughout the evening, keeping the brain from entering REM sleep, which is the most critical period of rest. If you have been involved in a car accident with a fatigued truck driver, contact the Missouri truck accident injury lawyers at Schultz Legal Group.
