Most of us do not enjoy driving around large trucks on the roads and highways. They make us nervous.
When a truck starts swerving around on the road, veering off into other lanes or driving erratically, you might naturally become even more anxious. These are signs of drowsy driving, which has been a problem in the trucking industry.
While distracted, aggressive and drunk driving are other common causes of truck accidents, drowsy driving also contributes to many serious or fatal accidents in Virgnia.
Truck drivers drive according to a schedule. They must meet deadlines, delivering their goods to the intended destination by a certain date and time.
Why truck drivers get delayed
There are many reasons truck drivers may fall behind schedule. Traffic backups, weather delays or problems with the truck itself might put truckers in danger of meeting their deadlines.
To make up for the delay, truckers might ignore their hours-of-service rules. These are rules limiting the time that truckers can be on the road without taking a break and requiring truckers to take specific break and rest periods.
When truckers ignore these rules and keep driving, they put everyone else on the road in danger and significantly increase the chance of a truck accident.
What to do if you are around a drowsy trucker
If you suspect a trucker is driving while drowsy, avoid them as much as possible. If you believe they are creating a dangerous environment, call the police and report the behavior.
Drowsy driving is negligent driving. You must prove the truck driver was negligent in a personal injury action to recover compensation after a truck accident.
Proving drowsiness can be more challenging than proving other types of negligence, such as drunk driving or speeding. Obtaining evidence such as service logs that show a trucker’s meal and rest breaks can help you prove the trucker was violating the hours-of-service rules.
Other evidence, such as statements from witnesses who saw the trucker driving recklessly, could help also help prove drowsiness.