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Driver fatigue

Fatigue is one of the leading human factors in truck accidents. Long hours on the road, demanding schedules, and insufficient rest put truck drivers at high risk of exhaustion, which can have deadly consequences.

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  • Truck Accident Law Team
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Article 1 of 6 in Causes of Truck Accidents/

Driver Fatigue as a Cause of Truck Accidents

Why Truck Drivers Are Susceptible

  • Extended Hours: Truckers often drive for long stretches to meet delivery deadlines.
  • Irregular Sleep Patterns: Overnight hauls and rotating shifts disrupt circadian rhythms.
  • Economic Pressures: Pay structures based on mileage can incentivize longer driving times.
  • Monotony of Driving: Long, straight highways can induce drowsiness.

Effects of Fatigue on Driving Ability

  • Slowed reaction times, similar to alcohol impairment.
  • Impaired judgment and reduced awareness of surroundings.
  • Increased likelihood of lane drifting and missing traffic signals.
  • Microsleeps (brief involuntary lapses into sleep lasting seconds).

Statistics

  • FMCSA studies estimate fatigue contributes to 13–15% of large truck crashes.
  • A driver awake for 18 hours has impairment comparable to a BAC of 0.05%; after 24 hours, it resembles 0.10% BAC, exceeding the legal alcohol limit.

Regulations Addressing Fatigue

  • Hours of Service (HOS) rules cap driving hours and mandate rest.
  • Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) track compliance and discourage falsification of records.
  • Proving fatigue can be pivotal in litigation. Evidence may include:
    • Logbook discrepancies.
    • ELD data.
    • Eyewitness testimony of erratic driving.
    • Delivery schedules showing unrealistic deadlines.
  • If fatigue is shown to violate HOS rules, it can establish negligence per se against the driver or trucking company.

Summary: Driver fatigue is a silent but deadly risk in trucking. It impairs alertness to a degree similar to intoxication, contributes to a significant share of truck crashes, and remains a central focus of both federal regulation and accident litigation.

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Truck Accident Law Team

Written by : Truck Accident Law Team

Attorneys, investigators, and legal writers focused on U.S. trucking safety, litigation strategy, and victim advocacy.

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