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Truck Accidents

When a Louisiana Truck Accident Claim Results from Distracted Driving

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Truck Accidents

Louisiana Truck Accident Attorney Explains How Driver Distractions can Warrant a Claim (Part B)

How Can Truck Drivers Rest Where There Are No Rest Areas?

A lack of truck stops and parking spaces causes a highway safety risk in Louisiana.

Truck drivers need to plan their trips carefully, to make sure the goods are delivered on schedule while not exceeding the maximum time they are allowed to stay behind the wheel, calculated through the last 24 hours, and the last 7 and 8 days, as dictated by federal authorities.

At the end of their work time, Louisiana truck drivers hope to find a place where they can park their 75-foot-long tractor-trailer, walk to the restaurant, do some maintenance, look at their emails, take a shower and finally crawl in the sleeper berth for a short night's sleep.

"Hope" is the key word here. Most likely, when the driver finally gets there, after ten hours of driving, the parking lot is packed. The next one could be 25 miles away, and probably not in the right direction. Having used up his driving time allowance, our tired driver is now forced to get back behind the wheel, hoping his log book won't be checked, and hoping the next rest area has some space left for his rig.

What are truck drivers supposed to do when there aren't enough parking areas?

The consequences of a parking space shortage are serious. A truck driver who can't find a place to put his truck at the end of his driving time will:

Have to drive more, and much longer than is allowed to, in a state of increasing fatigue, posing a danger to him- or herself and other motorists;
Have to tamper with the hours-of-service log to avoid being fined or penalized, creating a habit of infringing the law;
Pull over his or her truck on the side of a road, or exit ramp, creating a risk for other motorists;
Park in unsafe surroundings where he or she can be victim of assault, theft or vandalism;
Hit the road after a restless night, having been unable to have a decent dinner or breakfast, buy food and drinks, take care of personal hygiene, do mechanical repairs, de-stress, have fun, or exercise.

Most truck drivers complain about a chronic truck stop shortage, which they experience all the time. The shortage may be real, or not, depending on how you measure it. Even with a large number of evenly distributed truck rest areas, there will always be a shortage if most drivers take the same busy roads, and stop driving at the same times.

Truck driving is a harsh job, especially when motor carriers keep their drivers constantly under pressure with low wages, paying them by the mile.

If you have been hurt in a Louisiana truck crash, contact the New Orleans accident attorneys of the Young Firm in New Orleans immediately for a free, no-commitment evaluation of your case.