It’s not uncommon to share a Connecticut road or highway with a commercial vehicle. Although commercial vehicle drivers are limited to how many hours they can travel each day, they aren’t immune from working while tired. Driving while tired can be dangerous for anyone, but doing so can be especially dangerous when helming something that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.
Fatigue can make it harder to process information
A tired driver might not realize that traffic has slowed down or that an exit is coming up quickly. This may result in a truck not slowing down quickly enough to avoid a wreck or making a hasty lane change when it’s not safe to do so. In either scenario, a driver’s lack of attention might result in a truck accident that causes serious injuries and property damage.
Fatigue can make controlling the truck harder
Another issue a tired driver might deal with is an inability to maintain a constant lane or speed. Ultimately, this could result in swerving across lanes or crossing over a median and going the wrong way on a highway. Trucks that are going too fast for road conditions may be harder to handle, and it could result in a driver losing control and causing an accident.
Tired drivers may fall asleep
Eventually, the human body will override a tired driver’s attempts to stay awake. At first, a motorist may experience microsleeps, which result in falling asleep for several seconds at a time. However, eventually, a motorist can go into a deeper sleep, which makes it impossible to maintain a lane or take evasive actions if necessary to avoid a wreck.
You may be entitled to compensation if you are hurt in a truck crash. Depending on the facts of the case, the driver, owner of the truck and other parties might be liable for damages. Photos, a police report and other evidence may be used in an effort to help you obtain a favorable outcome in your case.
