The Consequences of Over-Scheduling Truck Drivers
Hours of service regulations are put in place by the government to keep trucking companies from over-scheduling their drivers. When a driver is asked by their employer to stay on the road too long for continued safe driving, that company may be held responsible for whatever serious mistakes that driver makes as a result. Overworked truck drivers are both a danger to themselves and to other motorists on the road who may be struck in a collision.
Hazards of Overworking Truck Drivers
Truck drivers need plenty of rest and off-duty time to recover from long hours on the highways. If they don’t get time to rest, they may not be able to stay awake or pay attention to the road ahead of them, causing the following problems:
- Failing to stop before striking another motorist
- Failing to pay attention to vehicles entering or exiting no-zones around the truck
- Falling asleep behind the wheel and drifting off of the road, potentially colliding with other vehicles as a result
- Forgetting to use indicator signals before changing lanes due to exhaustion
These kinds of critical errors can cause a collision with another motorist, possibly leaving that motorist with severe injuries as a result. If medical care is necessary after a collision, the injured individual may be entitled to pursue compensation from the trucking company responsible for pushing that truck driver beyond the legal scheduling limits.
Contact Our Experienced Trucking Accident Lawyers
If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, we may be able to help with the process of filing an hours of service violation claim against the responsible trucking company. To learn more about your legal rights and options in these situations, contact an attorney from Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., today by calling (303) 423-1770.
Our trucking accident lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims in Broomfield, Arvada, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont, and throughout Colorado.