The Trucking Industry Can Have a Disturbing Darkside
Trucking is a demanding job by default. Companies have strict shipping deadlines, and drivers need serious focus and determination to meet the demands of their bosses. However, serious road safety issues can occur from drivers that are stretching themselves too thin to meet these deadlines. Trucker fatigue contributes to many serious road accidents.A recent USA Today article outlines the severe struggle that many truckers face. In Los Angeles, 9 truckers were awarded $8.4 million after their employer had them falsify driving logs to comply with federal regulations after driving up to 19 hours a day. This causes safety issues for the other drivers on the road, increasing the likelihood for a regular driver to be hit by a commercial truck. This is terrible, but federal regulations do exist to protect drivers from unsafe trucking practices that lead to driver fatigue.
Ways the Law Protects Drivers from Fatigued Truckers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, says that truckers are not allowed to drive for more than 11 hours per 14-hour period, after which you need 10 hours off. Truckers are also not allowed to work more than 60 hours in 7 days, and more than 70 hours in eight days. There are also weight limits and many other regulations that exist to ensure that drivers are alert and trucks are not excessively dangerous to other drivers.Experienced truck accident attorney Mike Love used to own a trucking business, and can review your car accident case to help identify if breaches in trucking laws could have caused the accident. There are safety regulations for the trucks, truck drivers, and trucking companies that are shipping the goods.Trucking companies are competitive and often encourage truckers to work longer than is permissible by federal law, or offer trucks and equipment that are not up to regulatory standards to cut costs. This causes potential for serious injuries for truck drivers and other drivers on the road. If you have been injured in a truck accident or mistreated by an employer, a Lufkin personal injury attorney can help you find out if laws were broken, and gain coverage for the victims of negligence. Your insurance company or the guilty party in a truck accident will likely try to give you as little as possible for coverage. An attorney has a team of professionals that can strengthen your case using insider industry knowledge.