Neglecting to Manage Personal Health Causes Truck Accidents

One of the most common causes of Illinois truck accidents is that the truck driver was too fatigued or otherwise impaired to react quickly enough to a dangerous situation. In 2008 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that 37% of fatal truck accidents were caused by driver-related factors.

Commercial truck drivers have federal laws governing the amount of time they may legally operate their truck before having to take a required amount of off-duty time. Because of the nature of their job, many drivers neglect to follow these guidelines and push their physical limits of sleep and rest. When a driver is deprived of sleep, their reaction time slows, causing more accidents.

Aggressive driving is also a large issue in the cause of truck accidents. Truck drivers who are negligent in keeping their cool with adverse traffic experiences can often become distracted and cause more hazards on the road.

Intoxication by alcohol or other substances is another issue which can adversely affect any driver. Many truck drivers have been found to abuse stimulant drugs such as caffeine pills, amphetamines, and even serious drugs like MDMA/Ecstacy. This is done to combat the fatigue experienced on long hauls, instead of safer alternatives like sleep or frequent breaks.

When you are involved in a serious Illinois truck accident, you need to be aware of the types of truck driver negligence that may affect your claim. When filing a personal injury claim to recover damages for your Illinois truck accident, the negligence of both drivers will be called into question, so you must be able to prove the truck driver's negligence caused your accident. 

An experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer at The Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. knows there is a crucial window to be able to obtain the driver records when you are involved in a truck accident. For help in making sure your Illinois truck accident claim is filed as quickly as possible, contact us today for a free case evaluation. 312-263-1080.