Truck accidents can be horrific, as evidenced by the fact that around 150,000 people are injured annually in these crashes, and about 5,000 people are killed. The data also shows that the greatest danger is to those who are not in semi trucks, but who are in other vehicles involved in the accidents. Just look at the data for 1998, for example, when a full 98 percent of those killed in truck-related two-vehicle crashes were in the smaller vehicles.
The ties to these accidents and truckers who are overly tired are rather clear. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is also known as the FMCSA, has indicated that as many as 20,000 injuries and 750 deaths could be attributed to fatigued truck drivers.
For this reason, the regulations regarding fatigue are very strict. Truckers are only allowed to work for so many hours in a row before they have to stop and get some rest. They have to keep logs reporting those hours. If they go over the limits and alter the logs, they can face penalties.
That being said, truckers do break these regulations, in large part because they are paid based on the miles that they can cover. This gives them a natural incentive to push the limits so that they can earn more money. This can then lead to deadly crashes and crashes resulting in serious injuries.
If you have been hurt in a trucking accident in Florida, or if you have lost a family member, make sure that you know what rights you may have to compensation. To learn more, check out our page today.