St. Louis County Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Lawyer

Truck drivers bear a tremendous amount of responsibility when they enter the road. No matter if they are driving a commercial truck or 18-wheeler, they are obligated to owe everyone a duty of care to all other drivers. Unfortunately, due to the massive amounts of driving truck drivers tend to do, they could end up falling asleep behind the wheel. As a result, innocent drivers could sustain massive injuries. If you have suffered such an injury, contact an experienced attorney today. A St. Louis County truck driver fatigue accident lawyer could help you with your case.

Rules and Regulations of Truck Driver Fatigue in St. Louis County

There are several rules and regulations that are in place to prevent truck driver fatigue. Each duty period must begin with at least 10 hours off duty. Truck drivers may be on duty for up to 14 hours following 10 hours off duty, but they are limited to only 11 hours of driving time. Truck drivers are also not allowed to work more than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days.

Drivers should take a mandatory 30-minute break by their eight hours of coming on duty. The 14-hour duty period may not be extended with off duty time for breaks, meals, fuel stops, et cetera. Drivers may restart the seven-day period once every 168-hour workweek. This means they must take at least 34 consecutive hours off with two consecutive periods of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Leading Cause of Truck Driver Fatigue

The leading cause of driver fatigue that leads to trucking accidents in St. Louis County is the pressure placed upon drivers by trucking companies. This includes forcing them to make deliveries at a specific time based upon a certain schedule and penalizing truck drivers for not hitting target times.

Although this does not absolve the truck driver completely, it does shift the liability to the trucking company when the truck driver is forced to meet unreasonable expectations or when the truck driver is penalized for not abiding by federal and state laws.

Placing Liability Upon a Trucking Company

A truck driver could be absolved of any responsibility if the truck was improperly loaded and the truck driver and the truck were sealed. In instances where the truck was also not properly maintained, the trucking company could be held liable for an accident.

If the trucking company is found responsible for a trucking accident, the truck driver could be under joint in several liabilities. What this means is that the driver and the company are equally responsible for paying any judgment. However, because the trucking company is the one who normally has the funds to pay, the truck driver does not normally have to pay out of pocket.

Call a St. Louis County Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Attorney Today

If you have been harmed as a result truck driver’s reluctance to rest in between trips, you may be able to hold them liable for any injuries you sustained as a result of their negligence. A St. Louis County truck driver fatigue accident lawyer could help you identify the at-fault parties and help you collect any evidence which could support your injury claims. To get started on you case, be sure to schedule a consultation today.