18 Wheeler Accident Lawyer Tampa, FL

If you have ever taken a trip via your vehicle, you likely understand how exhausting spending hours behind the wheel of the car can be. Now imagine how it must be for people who drive large commercial trucks for a living, riding day in and day out on the highways of Florida and throughout the country. Many truck drivers spend so much time on the roads that they end up having erratic sleep schedule and this has a great impact on their ability to focus when they are driving. Fatigued truck drivers have become a serious and often deadly problem, leading to many serious and catastrophic truck accidents. If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, seek out the legal advice of an 18 wheeler accident lawyer Tampa, FL victims recommend to find out what legal recourse you may have.

National Study

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency that oversees rules and regulations for the truck industry. The FMSCA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted an extensive study on truck accidents. The data researchers used in the study revealed that almost 15 percent of all serious truck accidents are caused by a fatigued truck driver. Other causes of truck accidents include truck driver error, speeding, truck driver DUI, and distracted driving.

A truck driver who is drowsy can easily drift from their lane into another lane where another vehicle is driving. The massive size and weights of tractor-trailers crashing into a much smaller passenger vehicle often cause severe damage to the smaller vehicle.

Required Rest Time

A truck accident lawyer Tampa, FL clients turn to knows that the FMSCA has regulations regarding how many hours a truck driver can work, required breaks, and how much rest time they are required to take between shifts. A truck driver who is too tired to operate their vehicle is not only a danger to themselves but also to anyone with who they are sharing the roads with. These regulations are in place in order to keep fatigued truck drivers off the road.

The FMSCA also requires truck drivers to document the hours they are on the road when they take their breaks, and when the clock off for the day and slept. These logbooks are often critical pieces of evidence in truck accidents when it is suspected that a fatigued truck driver is the cause of that crash. Truck drivers who disobey the requirements not only can be held liable for a victim’s injuries in a crash but also face serious consequences regarding their commercial driver’s license (CDL).

Truck accident cases are often complex, especially since there is often more than one liable party for the victim’s losses. If the truck driver was fatigued and that caused the crash, the trucking company can also be held liable. A Tampa, Fl 18 wheeler accident lawyer Tampa, FL from Jeff Murphy Law can evaluate your case to determine who is liable for your injuries and what type of damages you may be entitled to. Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.