According to the National Transportation Safety Board, driver fatigue is a contributing factor in up to 40% of all commercial trucking accidents. When one considers the debilitating effects of tiredness, this should not come as a surprise. After all, the Sleep Foundation states that after being awake for just 20 hours, drivers experience impairment equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.08%. The trucking industry prioritizes long hauls over traffic safety, creating clear financial incentives to stay awake for as long as possible. Ultimately, this puts countless motorists in Missouri in danger. These motorists may experience a range of different crashes caused by driver exhaustion, and they may consider legal assistance after incurring injuries. In the context of a Missouri personal injury lawsuit, it is often particularly important to prove that the accident was caused by negligent driver drowsiness. To learn more, consider reaching out to Steelman Gaunt Crowley at (573) 341-8336.
Trucker Fatigue Can Easily Lead To Jackknifing Accidents
One type of accident commonly associated with driver fatigue involves “jackknifing.” This type of accident is also unique to commercial trucks, and it occurs when truckers lose control of the rear trailer – causing it to swivel and fold. Instead of following straight behind the rig, the trailer flips forward – much like a pocket knife. This often causes the trailer to move across multiple lanes of traffic – frequently affecting drivers moving in both directions. Not only does this cause serious delays, but it may also lead to very serious collisions. When a vehicle collides with a trailer after a jackknifing incident, there is a high chance of an “underriding” effect that shears away the top sections of smaller vehicles. This type of shearing damage has the potential to cause catastrophic injuries such as decapitations.
Fatigue is often a factor in these accidents. Jackknifing may occur when drivers slam on the brakes in a delayed manner – and with poor technique. Fatigued drivers may snap out of their drowsiness and spot incoming hazards too late, suddenly slamming on the brakes. This can cause their trailers to swerve outward and jackknife.
Fatigue Is a Contributing Factor in Many Rear-End Collisions
Fatigue may also lead to rear-end truck accidents. A drowsy trucker may have extremely poor reaction times, and their reflexes may not be fast enough to slow down when approaching hazards. For example, a trucker may approach highway congestion without realizing that drivers ahead are slowing down. They may attempt to brake too late, causing a rear-end collision. These collisions can become chain-reaction crashes or “domino” crashes that lead to multiple impacts and injuries. The average commercial truck has a very poor braking distance compared to a smaller passenger vehicle. For a truck on the highway, it often takes 250 feet or more to reach a complete stop. Rear-end collisions involving commercial trucks have high fatality rates, and affected families may have the opportunity to file wrongful death lawsuits alongside Steelman Gaunt Crowley.
Head-On Collisions Are Often Caused by Trucker Fatigue
Head-on collisions with commercial trucks are very dangerous, and they are often caused by driver fatigue. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 31% of occupants killed by trucks in 2021 were involved in head-on collisions. A fatigued trucker may drift across the center line and into oncoming traffic, and they may have particular difficulty staying within their lanes while navigating blind corners. In the worst-case scenario, a trucker may completely lose consciousness and veer into the wrong lane – affecting numerous oncoming vehicles.
Fatigue-Related Risks With Single-Vehicle Truck Accidents
Even if a trucker dozes off and crashes on an empty highway, they can still cause serious hazards for motorists in Missouri. Many of these commercial trucks carry dangerous cargo – including flammable, explosive, toxic, or even radioactive material. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources openly speaks of shipping radioactive waste across the state by truck, and this has been happening for decades. With these shipments, fatigued driving, or distracted driving, it is not difficult to see how a crashed truck on a highway could lead to serious risks for passing motorists – especially if they sit in traffic for hours while driving by the spilled waste.
Perhaps a more common example involves a fuel tanker truck that crashes and causes a serious explosion. Even if no other vehicles were involved in the initial crash, the secondary explosion can endanger everyone in the vicinity. Even a truck carrying harmless cargo can cause a major explosion after a crash due to the larger gas tanks on these vehicles. Trucker fatigue can cause serious accidents even after single-vehicle crashes.
Fatigue Can Lead To Dangerous Usage of Stimulants
Truckers may attempt to combat their driver fatigue through the use of stimulants, but this course of action can pose its own set of hazards. Even relatively “innocent” stimulants like caffeine fail to fully address the dangers of fatigue, and the safest option is always rest. The accessibility of over-the-counter stimulants for truckers is a subject of considerable controversy among numerous safety groups in the United States. More powerful, intoxicating stimulants can pose additional dangers – and some of these drugs may be illegal. In addition, Missouri’s broad intoxicated driving laws may prohibit not only drunk driving, but also driving affected by a range of legal and illegal stimulants.
According to the National Institutes of Health, high dosage or chronic consumption of psychoactive stimulants can lead to more mistakes for truckers. Some of the most dangerous illegal stimulants include crystal meth, cocaine, and speed. Although these drugs might keep a trucker awake, they also increase road rage and paranoia while clouding judgment behind the wheel. In other words, any perceived benefits of these drugs are likely to be overshadowed by the additional risks they may pose.
Contact an Experienced Missouri Truck Accident Law Firm
Those who have suffered injuries in Missouri truck accidents may suspect that driver fatigue was a contributing factor. While these suspicions are often well-founded, it may be necessary to prove the role of driver exhaustion with compelling evidence. With proof of driver fatigue, plaintiffs can pursue damages for a range of losses and negative consequences after truck accidents. To discuss the next steps in more detail, contact Steelman Gaunt Crowley at (573) 341-8336.
