Truck Accidents, Drowsy Driving, and Hours of Service Violations

What is Truck Accidents, Drowsy Driving, and Hours of Service Violations in Charlotte, North Carolina?

At Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, P.A., our Charlotte personal injury attorneys know how much North Carolina residents and businesses rely on commercial truck drivers to deliver the everyday goods they count on to local stores, restaurants, and offices. No matter how intimidating semi-trucks may be when passenger vehicles are traveling alongside, the American Trucking Association reports that trucks move roughly 72.2% of the nation’s freight.

This requires truck drivers to spend long hours behind the wheel. And although there are Federal Hours of Service Regulations that limit their driving hours, it is up to each truck driver to ensure they are getting the quality rest and sleep they need to safely operate a potentially 80,000-pound vehicle.

Unfortunately, this is not always true. The National Transportation Safety Board estimates that just over 30% of all semi-truck accidents involve driver fatigue.

If you were injured in a collision with a drowsy semi-truck driver or lost a loved one to these negligent circumstances, proving the driver was fatigued requires a lengthy investigation.

We can help.

Why Drowsy Driving is So Dangerous?

Research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed driver fatigue reaches a comparable level of impairment as driving under the influence of alcohol.

This includes:

• Blurred vision.
• Difficulty identifying and assessing potential hazards.
• Falling asleep at the wheel.
• Poor decision making.
• Slow reflexes and delayed reaction times.

Drowsy driving is often the result of trucking companies imposing unrealistic delivery schedules that place profits over safety, which forces drivers to stay behind the wheel for far longer than they should.

If you have been injured in a collision with a semi-truck, gaining access to the driver’s manual logbooks and electronic logging device will allow our law firm to understand the driver’s activities for the days and hours leading up to your accident.

Likewise, failing to keep records or keeping inaccurate records can also be powerful evidence of the driver’s negligence.

Unfortunately, obtaining a copy of the driver and trucking company’s records is exceedingly difficult following an accident. It requires the injured party to act quickly, which is often difficult to do when they are injured or grieving the loss of a loved one. We can help take the lead in your case by investigating every potential origin of the crash, and identifying the liable parties, so we can pursue the best outcome for your case.

Contact Our Experienced Charlotte Truck Accident and Injury Attorneys Today

At Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, our commercial truck accident and injury attorneys in Charlotte provide free consultations by calling 704-377-3737 or contacting us online.

We provide unique legal services tailored to fit each client’s needs and do not get paid unless you do.

Your Injury, Our Fight. How can we help you take a stand?

Because every case is different, the description of awards and cases previously managed by our law firm does not guarantee a similar outcome in current or future cases.