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Truck driver fatigue a major problem on Kentucky highways

Kentucky highways are always busy with residents and visitors going on vacation, to their jobs, visiting family, etc. They are also busy with cross-country truck drivers delivering goods nationwide. These trucks are far bigger than other vehicles on the road and an accident involving a commercial truck is often very serious.

Most commercial truck drivers are safe and careful drivers. But, serious commercial truck accidents occur frequently. When a driver becomes involved in an accident involving a commercial truck, they often suffer serious injuries. Passenger vehicles are much smaller than a commercial truck, so even what may appear to be a small fender-bender can have devastating consequences.

Commercial truck driver fatigue is one cause of these accidents. Truck driver fatigue may be a cause for up to 40% of accidents and up to 13% of fatal accidents in the United States. The majority of commercial truck drivers have reported a driving error as the result of drowsiness. There are many reasons that may cause truck driver fatigue. These include lack of sleep, intense pressure to deliver loads on time, driving too many hours without an adequate break, and driving too many consecutive hours. When a person is exhausted and expected to perform their job function, it often doesn’t lead to good results. In fact, someone who has been awake for 18 hours is comparable to someone who has a blood alcohol content of .08.

If a family has been affected by an accident involving a commercial truck they may want to speak with a legal professional who is skilled in personal injury. An attorney can review the circumstance surrounding the accident and help the family determine what happened. If the accident was the result of negligence, compensation may be available for medical expenses, funeral expense, pain and suffering and other damages.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov, “CMV driving tips-driver fatigue“, accessed on Nov. 2, 2017

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