speeding, running off road travel out lane failure to yield

But at root of those causes of heavy truck accidents is often driver fatigue.

"The Safety Board investigated 113 single-vehicle heavy truck accidents in which driver survived. However, because 96-hour duty/sleep history that was required for study was not available for 6 drivers, 6 accidents in which these drivers were involved were not included in study. The study, therefore, analyzes data from 107 single-vehicle heavy truck accidents."

Based on results of analysis, NTSB determined that fatigue is a key factor in heavy truck accidents, that hours of service regualtions are a key to preventing heavy truck accidents, that improved education of heavy-truck drivers is important in implementing improved safety about fatigue,

How is cause of a heavy truck accident determined?

Inspect heavy truck including mechanics, tires, brakes Interview witnesses Review police reports Obtain weather report and determine driving conditions

What to do if you were in a heavy truck accident?

When a person is injured or killed in a heavy truck accident they may be able to hold driver and heavy trucking company responsible, as well as companies on whose bahlf a delivery is being made. The damages may include: Wrongful death Physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and physical impairment; Medical and hospital expenses Wage loss and lost earning capacity

Michael Monheit, Esquire http://www.monheit.com/truck

How common is it for a truck driver to fall asleep at wheel?

In Journal of Public Health Policy, in 1992, a report showed that 1 in 5 truck drivers had been so fatigued that they had fallen asleep at wheel.

What is truck driver fatigue?

Fatigue is a broad term and includes being "sleepy", "tired" or "exhausted". This applies not only to performance of physical activity, but to mental activity as well. Thus, decision making capabilities of a truck driver can be impared along with coordination. Fatigue can severely impair judgment. In addition, more tired you become, less likely you will be to recognize that you are tired. What are warning sigs of truck driver fatigue? yawning lack of concentration red eyes anxiousness restlessness drowsiness impaired reaction time attention deficit irritability large steering corrections missing road signs lane drift

What are high risk times for truck driver fatigue-related fatal crashes?

Studies show that fatal fatigue-related accidents tend to occur between 10pm-6am (during normal human sleep hours), and 1pm-3pm (after a heavy lunch). These times of day coincide with dips in body's circadian rhythms, and with drops in blood sugar, which are part of human makeup.

Will these new regualtions cut down on fatal crashes due to truck driver fatigue?

The FMCSA estimates that 75 lives will be saved each year and 1,326 fatigue-related tractor-trailer truck accidents will be prevented annually.

Michael Monheit, Esquire http://www.monheit.com/truck <Back to Page 1