Pascoe Law Firm
Truck Driver Fatigue
Principal office located in Friendswood, Texas.
Available to service League City, Webster, Pearland, Galveston, and the surrounding areas within Texas.
Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Lawyer
Studies Repeatedly show that fatigued drivers are more dangerous on the road. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck driver fatigue accidents from driver fatigue causes nearly 750 people fatalities and 20,000 injuries each year. In fact, one study found that drivers who had only gotten six to seven hours of sleep were twice as likely to be involved in a traffic accident as those who got eight or more hours’ sleep, and when drivers got less than five hours’ sleep, they became four to five times as likely to be involved in a crash. Sleep deprived truck drivers of semi-trucks and tractor-trailers can do even more grievous amounts of harm should they nod off or make a poor judgment call due to lack of sleep.
The Dangers of Truck Driver Fatigue
Understanding Trucking Regulations
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Hours of Service Restrictions
The federal government is aware of the reality of truck drivers becoming too tired to properly operate their vehicles. In conjunction with speeding and other factors, a drowsy trucker is a significant hazard. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the number of hours truckers are allowed to operate their vehicles each week to decrease the risk of accidents and injuries.
- A commercial driver can work up to a maximum of 70 hours a week. This is 12.5 hours less than it was before lawmakers intervened and it was meant to help the drivers get more sleep.
- The driver must take a mandatory 34-hour rest when he hits the limit.
- This rest time should be divided into two periods between 1 and 5 am. This ensures that the drivers get at least two nights of sleep in a week.
- A driver can only drive a maximum of 11 hours in a 24-hour period and there should be a 30-minute break included.
A truck driver fatigue is a clear sign of negligence and liability on the part of the driver and, often times, the company that he works for. In many cases, the driver’s log will tell the story, if you get the right books. Drivers who cheat usually keep two logs: an “official” one with phony time entries and a “real” one (used for payroll purposes) that shows that the driver was working an illegal number of hours, proving driver fatigue.
The Difficulties in Proving Truck Driver Fatigue


Pascoe Law Firm
Friendswood, TX 77546
Phone: 713-829-4317
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