If you have been injured in a trucking accident, truck driver fatigue may have played a role. The trucking industry would like you to believe that fatigue is not a major problem for truck drivers, that drivers who follow the rules are not fatigued, that drivers who break the rules are rogue drivers choosing to violate Hours of Service (HOS) rules of their own accord, and that the trucking companies cannot be held liable for the accidents they cause. Let’s clear up some of these myths.
Myth #1: Trucking Companies Require Their Drivers to Comply with HOS Rules
There probably are some trucking companies that make a real effort to enforce HOS compliance with their drivers. But trucking companies are notorious for pushing drivers to meet unrealistic schedules and to accommodate this by intentionally overlooking log falsifications or requiring their drivers to falsify their logs.
Myth #2: Truckers Who Comply with HOS Rules Are Not Fatigued
HOS rules are meant to make our roads safer by minimizing truck driver fatigue, but they are far from a perfect solution. Drivers experience fatigue for a number of reasons including health problems, inclement weather, and stressful driving conditions. The HOS rules can even contribute to fatigue by forcing drivers to take breaks during times they cannot get quality sleep and driving during times when they should be sleeping in order to use their available drive time.
Myth #3: Trucking Companies Are Not Liable for Accidents Involving Truck Driver Fatigue
Trucking companies can be held liable for accidents caused by their drivers for a number of reasons. In the case of driver fatigue they may be held liable under vicarious liability or they may be held liable for negligent supervision. Proving the role that the trucking company played in a truck accident requires thorough investigation by an experienced truck accident attorney.
To learn more about how you can recover full and fair compensation for your truck accident injuries, please, call experienced Maryland car accident attorney Patrick D. Troxler, Esq., at 301-709-7195 today or email us right away to schedule your free consultation.
