Tired Drivers

NEW YORK CITY TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER

Truck Accidents Caused by Tired Drivers

The Large Truck Causation Study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the NHTSA examined the reasons for serious crashes involving large trucks over a two year period. The study found that the elements that influence the occurrence of a crash may take place hours, days, even months before the crash. These elements can include vehicle design, highway condition, weather conditions and many others as well.

Other elements take place immediately before a crash occurs, but overall experts rarely conclude that crashes are the result of a single factor. In fact, the three major factors in most motor vehicle crashes are drinking alcohol, speeding and fatigue. Fatigue is one of the top factors in accidents involving large trucks and their drivers; the NHTSA estimates that fatigue affects as much as 40% of all truck crashes. At Greenberg & Stein, P.C., you can seek help from an experienced New York City personal injury attorney for help if you were injured in a truck accident that was caused by a tired driver.

Contributing Factors to Fatigue & Drowsiness

Fatigue is especially common among drivers because there are so many factors that increase the fatigue and drowsiness that one experiences, including the following for tired drivers:

• Sleep loss.
• Driving patterns, including driving between midnight and 6 a.m.; driving a substantial number of miles each year and/or a substantial number of hours each day; driving in the midafternoon hours (especially for older persons); and driving for longer times without taking a break.
• Use of sedating medications, especially prescribed anxiolytic hypnotics, tricyclic antidepressants, and some antihistamines
• Untreated or unrecognized sleep disorders, especially sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and narcolepsy.
• Consumption of alcohol, which interacts with and adds to drowsiness.

Studies show that shift workers whose sleep is disrupted by working at night or working irregular or long hours are one of the population groups with the highest risk for fatigue, and truck drivers are commonly placed in these situations. Working night shifts, overtime, or rotating shifts can lead to chronic and acute drowsiness, and truck drivers are often required to log large amounts of hours in order to meet the deadlines set by their employer.

Seeking Justice after a Truck Accident in NYC

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that the risk of a crash doubles between the 8th to 10th hour of consecutive driving, and doubles again from the 10th to 11th hours. Once a truck accident occurs, it is important to conduct an extensive investigation into the truck driver’s log to check whether or not the driver was operating over the amount of hours allowed by law. When you enlist the help of a New York City truck accident attorney, you can be confident that the truck driver will be questioned appropriately regarding the hours leading up to the accident. Your attorney will ask questions about the amount of sleep and rest that the driver had prior to the accident, as well as questions about any substances that used.

If your lawyer determines that fatigue played a significant role in your accident, the investigation will broaden to include looking at the driver’s working conditions. In some cases, it may be discovered that the trucking company was at fault for not letting the driver get adequate amounts of rest in between shifts. In other situations, the truck driver could be liable for ignoring the rules and limits established by trucking companies. Whatever the situation may be, our team of talented truck accident lawyers will not rest until we uncover the direct cause of your accident and the injuries you have suffered.

Are you looking for a lawyer for a truck accident case in NYC?

Here at Greenberg & Stein, P.C., we know how to aggressively pursue truck accident investigations in order to gather evidence and facts that are essential to filing a claim on your behalf. We have seen the devastation caused by truck accidents, and we are here to help you and your family recover from damages you have suffered from the parties who are responsible. Call today to schedule a consultation!