Fatigue an Issue in Fatal Truck Accidents

Last year, a tractor trailer ran into a line of cars that had stopped on an Oklahoma highway, killing 10 people. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled that the driver failed to stop as a result of fatigue.

The board also criticized the government and the trucking industry for failing to follow safety recommendations that they believe could have prevented the accident. Some of these regulations have been around for at least ten years.

In 2001 the board recommended that heavy trucks should be equipped with warning systems to provide visual and audio alerts to drivers when the truck is within 350 feet of colliding with another vehicle. These systems are available for only about $1000 to $2000 from a number of manufacturers.

Estimates are that these systems could prevent at least 4700 accidents annually and at least 96 deaths. There is still no requirement to install these systems aboard heavy trucks.

The board also identified fatigue as a major risk factor in truck accidents over 20 years ago. Likewise, efforts for new regulations seeking to avoid such fatigue have gone unfulfilled. Records show that about 31 percent of all heavy truck crashes involve driver fatigue.

In the Oklahoma crash, the driver, who was 76 years old, likely had only five hours of sleep before starting his workday near Kansas City. His shift started at 3 A.M. By the time of the accident near Tulsa he had been on the road over 10 hours. The driver also suffered from sleep apnea, another fatigue factor.

It is clear that any new rules that can prevent tragic accidents like the Oklahoma crash should be reconsidered immediately.
 
The Young Firm in New Orleans understands the serious nature of automobile and truck accidents and the injuries that can result. Our firm will investigate the causes of any accident and pursue appropriate legal action.

Call a Louisiana car and truck accident attorney today at (866) 660-7220 for a free and confidential consultation if you have been involved in a car accident or an accident with a truck.

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