Fatigue and distraction are major contributing factors for many trucking accidents in California. Nationwide, nearly 100,000 crashes are believed to be caused by fatigue alone each year. Trucking companies are taking measures to reduce the number of accidents caused by fatigue and distraction with new technology.
Fatigue is very common among truck drivers. Many drivers feel that it is normal for them to feel tired while working and underestimate the dangerous of driving in a fatigued state. According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 13 percent of fatal trucking accidents and 28 percent of single commercial vehicle accidents involve fatigue.
Distracted driving poses a similar risk as the National Center for Statistics and Analysis found that over 10 percent of fatal crashes and 15 percent of crashes involving injuries were related to distracted driving.
Recently developed technology is designed to look at hours-of-service data for truckers to predict when a fatigue-related accident may be most likely to occur. Managers should also consider human factors like family emergencies and shift changes to conduct interventions when a driver may be unsafe to drive.
Cellphone software developers have released applications designed to cut down on distracted driving by preventing cellphone use on the road other than critical information about navigation and hours-of-service data. Some technology can even monitor drivers and provide immediate alerts when a driver appears fatigued or distracted.
A truck accident can cause devastating injuries. An attorney may be able to help car accident victims who have suffered injuries as a result of a distracted driver’s negligence.
An attorney might help clients file a claim against the company who employed the driver if the accident involved a commercial vehicle. In some cases, an attorney may be able to help clients seek punitive damages in cases that involved a drunk or fatigued truck driver or companies that have repeatedly ignored safety regulations.
