Missouri and Kansas Truck Crashes Involving Truck Driver Fatigue
Any kind of long distance driving is exhausting. The hum of traffic, miles and miles of road, boredom … it takes its toll on truck drivers. That's why the federal government regulates how many hours a driver can drive without taking a break, and how many hours drivers can work in a given week. That's why drivers are required to keep a log book — to prove that they are not driving while fatigued.
Studies have proven that driving while tired is just as dangerous as driving drunk. A tired truck driver's reflexes can be just as bad, or even worse, than those of a drunk driver. In extreme cases, the driver may even fall asleep at the wheel.
At the Sly James Firm, we have seen the tragic effects of driver fatigue. Our clients have suffered serious injuries, or the loss of loved ones in fatal accidents, because a truck driver was too tired to take proper precautions. These are tragedies that could have been avoided.
If you have been involved in a truck wreck, work with a lawyer who has experience handling truck accident personal injury cases. Contact the Sly James Firm online or call 816-472-6800 to schedule a free consultation at our Kansas City law office.
Proving the Effects of Fatigue in Semi Tractor-Trailer Crashes
The first thing your attorney will do is ensure that all of the evidence is preserved. This includes not only taking photos of the accident scene, the car and the truck, but also obtaining the truck driver's logbook, on-board computer records, tracking, and black box data.
The on-board computer often transmits data back to the company relating to the location of its vehicles with timestamps. The black box records speed, use of seat belts, and any mechanical problems with the vehicle. All of this electronic information can provide evidence about whether he or she had been driving too long.
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for evidence to disappear or to be altered in favor of trucking companies. If we suspect that the evidence has been tampered with, we dig further.
- We can review where the truck has been according to the weigh stations.
- We can have experts evaluate the condition of the truck.
- We can check the trucker's driving record, looking for any history of drug or alcohol abuse. Sometimes drivers take performance-enhancing drugs to help them stay awake, but these drugs ultimately have the opposite affect, causing the driver to "crash" when the drug wears off.
We leave nothing to chance. We can't afford to miss any detail, because we know our clients need and deserve a full and fair settlement for their injuries.
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an 18-wheeler accident in either Kansas or Missouri, contact our injury attorneys online or at 816-472-6800 to schedule a free consultation at our Kansas City law office.
