There are more than two million commercial truck drivers on the nation’s roadways. There are also more than 4,000 people killed every year in truck crashes. One of the most publicized crashes from 2014 involved comedian Tracy Morgan, who was seriously injured when a commercial truck plowed into the limousine in which Morgan, along with five other people, were traveling. One person was killed in that crash. Walmart, the owner of the truck, recently settled a wrongful death suit with the dead victim’s family. There are also criminal charges pending against the driver of that truck.

The NTSB’s statistics show that there has been a 17 percent increase in the number of fatal truck accidents, since 2009. One of the biggest causes of these accidents is driver fatigue. In the Morgan accident, police records show the driver had not slept for over 24 hours. The NTSB says that trucking companies should be putting policies into place that to not only ensure their drivers are not struggling with fatigue, but to also screen them for any sleep disorders which could also affect their driving.

The dangers of driver fatigue may play even more of a role in trucking accidents thanks to a move by Congress which did away with a regulation which prohibited truck drivers from working more than 82 hours in an eight day period.

Another issue the NTSB points out in their report is the lack of enforcing safety regulations. Too many trucks—more than 20 percent on the road—fail safety inspections. The agencies stresses there should be much more enforcement by highway regulators of these inspections.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a commercial truck driver, contact an experienced Westport personal injury attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the driver and company for your pain and loss.

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