Driver fatigue responsible for many truck accidents

Truckers in California may be interested in research from the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, which found that a majority of truck accidents in North Dakota occurred in the state's oil region. This research was spurred by several high-profile accidents along the Highway 23 bypass. The main reason for this problem is thought to be driver fatigue from overwork. While data from the oil region is particularly troublesome, fatigue is a serious issue on roadways all over the country.

Due to the high rates of personal injuries and deaths on America's roadways due to truck accidents, safety advocates and federal agencies have focused on measures to solve the driver fatigue problem. In 2017, commercial truck drivers were ordered to keep an electronic logbook of how many hours they drove. According to federal regulations, drivers are only allowed to work 14 hours a day, and only 11 of those can be driving on the road.

Safety needs to be a top priority for commercial trucking companies. A minimal amount of accidents not only keeps people safer, but it's better for the trucking companies and their customers. Employers can implement a variety of policies to reduce incidents, including additional training and less strict delivery schedules. Companies that don't improve their own safety standards could be held liable for large amounts of damages.

Victims of truck accidents can face a wide range of debilitating expenses, but an attorney may be able to help victims get compensation for their personal injury from the responsible party. If the accident was the result of a fatigued driver, the driver's employer or the driver themselves might be responsible for damages. The attorney may examine the circumstances of the accident and recommend a course of action.