An estimated 16-year high of 42,915 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA). That represents a 10.5% increase over fatalities in 2020. And, fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck were up 13%.
Driver Fatigue
Accidents involving large trucks can have a number of causes. One of the more common causes is driver fatigue. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) reported that 13 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers were considered to have been fatigued at the time of their crashes.
Many experts believe that exhaustion and inadequate rest impair truckers in ways similar to alcohol and drugs. Sleep-deprived drivers can exhibit the same behaviors of a person driving under the influence, including slower reaction times, decreased visual acuity, and impaired judgment. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), fatigued drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a crash.
Driving for prolonged hours can have a number of adverse effects on a truck driver’s health. They include, but are not limited to:
- distorted vision
- back pain
- joint stiffness
- musculoskeletal disorders
- heart diseases
- sleep disorders
- mental distress
- stroke
These conditions can pose a potential threat to other motorists sharing the road with the truck driver.
Hours of Service (HOS) Requirements
To improve truck drivers’ performance by ensuring they’re well-rested and alert, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets limits on a trucker’s driving hours. For cargo-carrying drivers, HOS provisions include:
11-hour driving limit
Drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
14-hour limit
Drivers may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period.
30-minute driving break
Drivers must take a 30-minute break when they have driven for a period of 8 cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute interruption. The break may be satisfied by any non-driving period of 30 consecutive minutes (i.e., on-duty not driving, off-duty, sleeper berth, or any combination of these taken consecutively).
60/70-hour limit
Drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.
Sleeper berth provision
Drivers may split their required 10-hour off-duty period, as long as one off-duty period
(whether in or out of the sleeper berth) is at least 2 hours long and the other involves at
least 7 consecutive hours spent in the sleeper berth. All sleeper berth pairings MUST add up to at least 10 hours. When used together, neither time period counts against the maximum 14-hour driving window.
Adverse driving conditions
Drivers are allowed to extend the 11-hour maximum driving limit and 14-hour driving
window by up to 2 hours when adverse driving conditions are encountered.
Short-haul exception
A driver is exempt from the requirements of §395.8 and §395.11 if the driver operates
within a 150 air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location, and the driver does not exceed a maximum duty period of 14 hours. Drivers using the short-haul exception in §395.1(e)(1) must report and return to the normal work reporting location within 14
consecutive hours and stay within a 150 air-mile radius of the work reporting location.
Why Truckers Still Drive While Fatigued
There are a number of factors which may contribute to the continuation of drowsy driving.
HOS violations
Some truckers subvert HOS regulations due to pressure from their employers. Others consider the regulations to be a nuisance that prevents them from completing their jobs efficiently, and more profitably.
Medical issues
According to FMCSA, an estimated one-third of commercial truck drivers suffer from sleep apnea, which causes extreme daytime fatigue. Although the condition can be corrected with treatment, truck drivers who suffer from severe sleep apnea can be suspended from driving. As a result, many drivers fail to undergo diagnosis or treatment.
Highway hypnosis
Driving on long stretches of road at a consistent speed has been shown to have a hypnotic effect on a driver, dulling the driver’s senses and increasing fatigue.
Hectic off-duty time
Truck drivers often have a lot to do when spending limited off-duty time with their families. Their brief break from work can be anything but restful.
If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a large truck, call Comitz Law at 570-829-1111 or email info@comitzlaw.com.