Fatigued Truck Drivers in Loveland Accidents
Spending long days on the road is part of the job for commercial truck drivers, who have a professional and legal obligation to ensure they get enough rest between shifts so they can operate their trucks safely. However, some trucking companies intentionally make their drivers stay on the road for longer than is safe, and they sometimes knowingly violate federal trucking laws.
When you need help recovering fair financial compensation for injuries caused by fatigued truck drivers in Loveland accidents, a seasoned truck accident attorney could guide you through the legal process and help you obtain the best case result possible.
What Causes Truck Drivers to Drive While Tired?
People who go for a long time without sleeping can be considered “impaired” in the same way as someone intoxicated, so driving a tractor-trailer while fatigued is sometimes just as dangerous and irresponsible as driving drunk. In some cases, excessive fatigue comes from irresponsible behavior by an individual truck driver, for example, ignoring mandated break periods.
Even in those situations, trucking companies often hold “vicarious liability” for their employee’s negligence, which means a person injured in an accident in Loveland involving a fatigued truck driver could sue both the driver and the company they work for. Some companies also force their drivers to disobey federal laws that limit how many hours truckers can work and when they must take breaks, putting other people at risk in the interest of saving money.
How Fatigued Truck Driving Can Serve as Grounds for a Lawsuit
Federal law imposes the following restrictions on driving time for long-haul truck drivers:
- No more than 14 hours on duty after a minimum ten-hour break
- No more than 11 hours spent driving during a maximum 14-hour on-duty shift
- No more than eight consecutive hours spent driving without taking at least one break of 30 minutes or more
- No more than 60 hours of driving within any seven-day period
- No more than 70 hours of driving within any eight-day period
- A minimum break of 34 consecutive hours off-duty before starting a new seven-day or eight-day work period
A truck driver or trucking company that violates these rules has breached the “duty of care” they owe others on the road to always act safely and responsibly. Any such breach that causes a crash resulting in injury constitutes “negligence,” which could be the basis for a personal injury claim.
An injured party does not always have to prove a truck driver was fatigued to hold them liable for a Loveland truck crash. For instance, a truck driver who runs a red light and hits another car at an intersection has violated traffic law and breached their duty of care regardless of whether they committed the violation due to fatigue.
A Loveland Attorney Can Help Sue Over a Fatigued Truck Driver Accident
Being overly tired on the road can make it difficult for anyone to stay between the lines and keep everyone else around them safe, but that is especially true for truckers transporting tons of cargo. For that reason, it can be essential to hold fatigued truck drivers in Loveland accidents legally liable for the effects of their actions.
Help is available in situations like this from capable legal professionals willing to fight tirelessly on your behalf to get you paid fairly for your damages. Call today to learn more.
