The majority of drivers are quite familiar with commercial trucks, in that they are huge vehicles that can be quite intimidating to drive next to. Most people do not know exactly how much weight is being carried on these hefty vehicles, but they have common sense enough to know it’s better to just stay away. A commercial truck driver has a serious role in getting large amounts of goods from one destination, to another. More often than not, truck drivers are under very strict schedules and may feel pressure to get ahead of the game if the route isn’t going as planned. A truck driver may skip meal and rest breaks, in addition to driving during normal sleeping hours in order to catch up on time. However, by doing so, they could be putting themselves and other drivers on the road at risk for a terrible accident.
Here in the article to follow, we have explored how these truck accidents can happen, the phenomenon of microsleep, and when legal action may be needed.
You mentioned microsleep, what is that exactly?
Microsleep is something that happens when someone is sleep-deprived and must perform a monotonous, repetitive task. It is our body’s way of trying to catch up on rest through entering very brief episodes of sleep, only lasting as long as a fraction of a second up to 30 seconds. If a truck driver skips out on enough hours of sleep, he or she may be affected by microsleep. The scary side of this experience is that the driver may not even realize this is happening. A person’s eyes can still remain open during these episodes, and can be rendered temporarily incapable of responding to what happens on the road.
In addition to exhaustion, are there any other contributing factors to truck accidents?
A truck driver may have to be on the road for an extended period of time, away from family and loved ones. This may be difficult for some driver’s to handle, and may be tempted to communicate with those back home whenever possible. Unfortunately, the urge may be strong enough to text or make a phone call while driving. Depending on your state, using a handheld cell phone while behind the wheel may, or may not be breaking the law. But, if a truck driver is distracted enough that he or she is driving poorly, then police should be notified.
I was involved in a truck accident, and now am suffering financial loss. What can I do?
Those who are hit by a truck driver while on the road, may turn to a legal professional for guidance. The severity of injuries and losses for victims of a truck accident can be enough to cause someone financial distress. Even so, a person should not have to pay medical bills and costs to fix his or her car because someone else chose to drive irresponsibly. A semi truck accident lawyer can consult with you and help you decide if filing a lawsuit against the truck driver or trucking company is the right choice for you.