Driver Fatigue and Pittsburgh Truck Accidents: What Evidence Can Show a Trucker Was Too Tired to Drive?
Commercial truck drivers can spend long periods behind the wheel while operating vehicles that may weigh many times more than an ordinary passenger car.
When fatigue contributes to a Pittsburgh truck accident, determining whether the driver was too tired to operate safely may require much more than asking the driver how much sleep he or she received.
Electronic records, driving logs, dispatch information, and other evidence may help reconstruct what happened before the collision.
Why Is Truck Driver Fatigue Dangerous?
Fatigue can affect abilities that are critical to safe driving, including:
- Alertness;
- Reaction time;
- Judgment;
- Concentration; and
- Recognition of changing traffic conditions.
A fatigued driver operating a tractor-trailer on I-79, I-376, Route 28, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, or another Western Pennsylvania highway can present serious risks to surrounding motorists.
What Are Hours-of-Service Rules?
Federal trucking regulations generally limit how long covered commercial drivers may drive and establish requirements concerning driving time, on-duty time, and rest.
The specific rules that apply can depend upon the driver and operation involved.
A violation does not automatically answer every question concerning responsibility for an accident, but hours-of-service evidence can become important when fatigue is suspected.
What Evidence Can Show Driver Fatigue?
A Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer investigating possible fatigue may examine evidence such as:
- Electronic logging device records;
- Driver logs;
- GPS information;
- Fuel receipts;
- Toll records;
- Bills of lading;
- Dispatch records;
- Delivery schedules;
- Cell-phone evidence when relevant and legally obtainable;
- Driver communications; and
- Video evidence.
Comparing several sources of information can sometimes provide a clearer picture than relying on one record alone.
What If the Driver's Log Says Everything Was Legal?
A log is evidence, but it may not necessarily end the investigation.
Other records may help confirm whether the times, locations, and driving activity reflected in the log are consistent with what actually occurred.
The investigation may also consider whether the driver's conduct was safe under the circumstances even if a particular regulatory limit was not exceeded.
Can the Trucking Company Also Be Responsible?
Potential responsibility depends upon the facts.
An investigation may consider whether a trucking company imposed schedules, expectations, or practices relevant to the driver's fatigue or whether the company knew of information that should have raised concerns about safe operation.
The legal relationships and evidence must be evaluated in each case.
Injured by a Fatigued Truck Driver in Pittsburgh?
Truck-driver fatigue cases can depend heavily on records that an injured motorist does not possess.
If you or someone you love has suffered serious injuries in a Pittsburgh tractor-trailer accident, contact Frank Walker Law to discuss the collision and the evidence that may need to be investigated.
Please like and share this article with your network if you found it useful. A friend or loved one injured in a truck accident may not realize that electronic logs and other records can help determine whether driver fatigue contributed to the crash.
About Frank Walker Law
Attorney Frank Walker of Frank Walker Law is a National Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer, and Personal Injury Attorney who has been recognized as a Super Lawyer, a member of the National College for DUI Defense, Best Attorneys in America, Best Law firms of America, America’s Greatest Attorneys, and a Top AVVO Rated attorney, with offices in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and Morgantown West Virginia.
Additionally, you can find Attorney Walker on YouTube, TikTok, the Pittsburgh Attorney Podcast and the West Virginia Attorney Podcast, where he gives legal tips (not advice!) and discusses the pressing legal issues of the day.
If you or someone you love are facing criminal charges or are seriously injured in an accident, contact Attorney Frank Walker immediately at 412-532-6805 (Pittsburgh), 304-413-0179 (Morgantown), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for aggressive and experienced Criminal Defense or Representation in a Civil Case.