Wyoming Fatigued Driver Lawyer

According to a 2022 study, drowsy driving is involved in 9.3% of Wyoming fatal crashes. That’s about six times the national average, even as the rate of fatal crashes declines nationwide.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found driver fatigue to be the critical factor (the one that, if it had not been present, the accident would not have occurred) in 13% of all crashes involving large commercial vehicles.

Drowsy driving is when someone is driving while sleepy or fatigued. The most common cause is lack of sleep, but other causes include untreated sleep disorders, medications, irregular work schedules, and drinking alcohol.

Lawmakers reduced the amount of hours truck drivers can be behind the wheel 2013. The maximum workweek was cut from 82 to 70 hours, hours driving per day were limited to 11, 30-minute breaks were mandated, and rest periods were required.

Truck industries have been battling these regulations in order to maximize profit. Truck drivers also tend to push their limits in order to meet their strict deadlines and rigid schedule. Factor in the unpredictable effects of weather, construction, and traffic congestion, and there are more and more reasons for drivers to be fatigued.

In the 2016-2020 period, fatal crashes involving drowsy driving were most common during the day and on weekdays. That may sound surprising, but think about when you typically find yourself feeling tired. Most people feel a midday lag, especially when sleep deprived.

Most fatal fatigued driver accidents occur around Christmastime. They are also more likely to occur in weather conditions such as severe crosswinds and impaired visibility. Younger drivers (16-24) are slightly more likely to be involved in a fatal drowsy driver accident than older drivers.

Over half of driving-age Americans surveyed here admit to driving while drowsy. Reasons they cited included fatigue, work schedule, medication, sleep disorders, disruptive sleep schedule, time of day, and alcohol.

Here are tips recommended by the CDC to prevent drowsy and fatigued driving:

• Get more sleep! Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep a night. Long-haul truck drivers average less than five.
• Obey any regulations that limit the number of hours you can drive.
• Take a nap when you are tired.
• Don’t drive at night.
• Talk to your doctor about treatment options if you have a sleep disorder or symptoms of a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, snoring, or feeling sleepy during the day.
• Avoid drinking alcohol or taking drowsiness-inducing medications.
• Use an alert system.
• Know what drowsy driving feels like.
• Remind yourself that you can’t trick yourself into staying awake.

Some signs of drowsy driving include:

• Frequent yawning
• Frequent blinking
• Trouble remembering the past few miles driven
• Missing exits
• Drifting out of your lane
• Hitting the rumble strips on the shoulder or centerline of the road

How does being drowsy affect your ability to drive?

• It makes it harder to pay attention to the road.
• Your reaction time is slowed. This especially matters if you need to brake or steer suddenly.
• It is harder to make good decisions. Sleepiness affects your judgement.

Crashes, especially those involving trailer-tractors or heavy trucks, can be incredibly complex. An experienced truck accident attorney will look at many factors to determine potential causes of an accident, including time of day, hours spent driving, how the accident occurred, and other records like receipts for meals, tolls, or gas. If a truck driver’s fatigue contributed to an accident, both the driver and the trucking company may be liable for damages.

The attorneys at Shafner Law work with clients to hold truck drivers and trucking companies accountable when driver fatigue causes a crash. Recklessness or negligence on behalf of truck drivers or truck companies can put everyone on the road at risk. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a fatigued driver, call us today at 307-277-6956 for a free consultation. We can offer insight into your situation and lay out your options for taking legal action against those who are responsible for your injuries.

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-Joanne