When someone is driving down the road, they generally don’t expect to be injured in a collision with a large truck. These incidents are unfortunately a common reality, and they frequently result in serious injuries for the individuals who were traveling in a typical passenger vehicle.  

Truck driver fatigue is one of the leading contributors of truck accidents across the U.S., and many laws are in place to help truck drivers operate these enormous vehicles as safely as possible. 

However, not all trucking companies or drivers adhere to these regulations and as a result, people can get hurt. Here are some indicators to look for that suggest a truck driver is fatigued.

What Is Truck Driver Fatigue? 

Truck driver fatigue is most often caused by lack of restful sleep, driving too many hours consecutively, or when driving while feeling unwell. 

Fatigue or exhaustion is one of the most serious impairments a truck driver can experience, and is on par with drinking and driving in the way it impacts a driver’s ability to safely operate their vehicle. Without adequate sleep, judgement and motor skills are heavily impaired, similar to if the driver was intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. 

How to Spot Truck Driver Fatigue 

There are several indicators that a truck driver may be too fatigued to operate their vehicle and that exhaustion may have played a significant part in the accident: 

• The truck driver was weaving in and out of their lane 
• The driver was driving very slow, much slower than the speed limit 
• The driver was speeding 
• The driver seemed to ignore traffic lights, stop signs, and other road signals 

Why It’s So Important to Get a Personal Injury Attorney Involved After a Truck Accident 

Unfortunately, following a commercial truck accident, the trucking company often has time to destroy records, delete time logs, and erase black box recordings. This can make proving the driver was at fault for your accident difficult. Driver logs can prove that too many consecutive hours were worked, and black box recordings can show if the driver was speeding, going to slow, or committing another traffic violation. 

When you hire a lawyer immediately, however, they can file a motion to preserve evidence and the trucking company will not be able to make any changes to records that may be related to the case. 

Contact a Seasoned Los Angeles Accident Law Firm Now 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to experienced Los Angeles truck accident firm the Lewin Law Group today by calling 530-895-1234.