Fatigue is sometimes a factor in avoidable Texas truck crashes. If a trucker is operating their vehicle while fatigued, they may be prone to difficulty concentrating, slow reaction times, or falling asleep. As such, the truck driver could get into an accident. Depending on the circumstances, the trucker or their employer could be held responsible for the incident.
Talk with a Texas truck accident lawyer if you’re involved in a collision that may have been caused by a fatigued truck driver. Your attorney may help you seek compensation for your accident losses from the liable party or their insurance company.
Why Do Drowsy Driving Truck Accidents Happen?
Ultimately, drowsy driving truck accidents can be the result of many factors. Below are some of the reasons why truck accidents involving fatigued truckers may be reported in Texas and across the United States:
- Irregular schedules and long hours: A trucker who drives late into the night or early into the morning may be susceptible to disruptions to the body’s circadian rhythm. These disruptions can hamper a trucker’s ability to stay alert behind the wheel.
- Microsleeps: Fatigued truckers may be susceptible to microsleeps, which are involuntary lapses in consciousness that last up to 30 seconds.
- Sleep disorders: Truck drivers may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea or other disorders that can contribute to fragmented or daytime sleepiness.
- Employer pressure: A trucking company could pressure a trucker to violate hours of service (HOS) regulations or other Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules to meet tight delivery deadlines.
Following a truck accident, it is often beneficial to consult with a personal injury lawyer who has relevant case experience. Your attorney can investigate the incident, which may help them find out if drowsy driving was a factor in the incident.
How to Prove That Fatigue Was a Factor in Your Texas Truck Crash
Have a truck accident attorney help you with your case against a trucker or trucking company. Your lawyer may collect data from a truck’s event data recorder (EDR). This data can provide insights into a truck’s speed, throttle input, braking, and other operational insights. Accident reconstruction experts may be able to use this data to evaluate driver response patterns consistent with fatigue.
In addition to EDR data, your lawyer may assess truck driver logs, a trucker’s driving record, the driver’s schedule, and their employer’s policies. This can give your attorney evidence that may help them show that HOS rules or other FMCSA regulations may have been violated.
Your attorney can also review traffic camera and dashcam footage of your accident. This footage can show what happened in your accident. It may help you prove that a truck driver or trucking company is at fault.
Outside of these forms of evidence, your lawyer may interview accident witnesses and get statements from them. Your lawyer can use these statements to illustrate to the court that a truck driver or trucking company was negligent.
Police reports can also make a difference as you try to prove negligence in a truck crash case. Once you notify the police about your accident, they may talk with other parties involved in the incident. The police can then prepare a report detailing their findings. In the report, police officers may document observations or statements relevant to possible driver fatigue. This could further strengthen your case for compensatory damages.
Contact the Doan Law Firm today to schedule a free case consultation.