Establishing fault in an auto accident is important, considering that compensation is often dependent on it. This is especially true after a truck accident in Wyoming, as such collisions typically produce extensive damage and can leave you and/or your family members dealing with extensive injuries.
Many come to us here at RJS Law after experiencing truck accidents questioning how drivers that are usually so highly skilled could make the errors that led to their collisions. If you share the question, one factor to look into may be driver fatigue.
Preventing truck driver drowsiness
Long hours behind the wheel can leave anyone fatigued. Truck drivers may be especially susceptible to this given the amount of time they are on the road. To prevent them from becoming drowsy, the federal government has placed the following restrictions on the number of hours they can work:
- No driving more than 11 hours during a single work shift
- No driving beyond the 14th consecutive hour after having taken 10 hours off duty
- No driving for more than eight consecutive hours without taking a 30-minute break
- No driving more than 60-70 hours during a 7-8-day workweek
Per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, any vehicle with a gross vehicular weight over 10,001 pounds (along with trucks that transport hazardous materials) must adhere to these standards.
Proving fatigue caused your accident
There may be external indicators that fatigue played a roll in your truck accident (such as it occurring in the late night or early morning hours). Drivers are also required to keep work logs detailing the hours they are behind the wheel.
You can learn more about identifying the causes of truck accidents by continuing to browse through our site.