FMCSA to Examine the Impact of Driver Schedules on Drowsy Driving

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Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers weigh in on driver schedules and the impact they have on drowsy driving. Drowsy driving is a serious issue in the trucking industry, and is the reason behind many devastating truck accidents that have occurred in recent years. In an effort to address this problem and prevent future truck accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) plans to conduct a study on how truck drivers’ schedules impact drowsy driving issues and overall highway safety.

The FMCSA will move forward with the study as soon as it receives approval to proceed.

Issues of Focus

The goal of the study is to focus on the following issues and how they affect driver fatigue:

  • The relative crash risk by hour of driving
  • The relative crash risk per hour of driving each week
  • The relative crash risk of taking driving breaks, compared to drivers who do not take breaks
  • The relative crash risk of taking one break versus two breaks between the hours of 1 am and 5 am, and weekly working hours before and after a 34-hour restart
  • How the HOS provisions are being used

Phase 1 Findings

This is the second phase of a two-part study. Phase 1 involved the collection of HOS and crash data from nine different carriers. The researchers focused mainly on CMV carriers that had over 1,000 power units.

They found the following statistics from the drivers at the nine participating carriers:

  • Drivers were involved in 6,318 totals crashes, 3,035 of which were preventable
  • There were 585 FMCSA-reportable crashes
  • There were 195 injuries and 14 fatalities
  • The electronic logging device (ELD) data found a total of 60,933,691 duty entries, and 4,226,737 total days with log entries

After Phase 1 was complete, the FMCSA needed more data in order to address their questions about driver schedules and its impact on drowsy driving.

Phase 2

Phase 2 continues this effort by collecting additional data from a wider range of carriers. Phase 2 extends this data collection to 44 carriers and thoroughly examines the HOS provisions, and how the driver schedules affect crash risks.

The data from Phase 1 of the study will be combined with the Phase 2 data, in order to have the statistical power to address the key issues discussed above.

Truck accidents are some of the most devastating accidents, due to the massive size and weight of the average commercial truck. In addition to the devastating property damage they can cause, injuries tend to be severe, and often fatal. By addressing some of the main causes of truck accidents – including drowsy driving – many of these tragic accidents can be avoided.

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Victims of Drowsy Driving-Related Truck Accidents

If you have been severely injured in a truck accident, and you believe the driver was drowsy at the time of the accident, do not hesitate to contact the Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. We will thoroughly examine the details of the accident and determine who is responsible for causing the accident. Our experienced legal team will secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent truck accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.