How Carriers Are Making the Roads Unsafe
Unless something drastic changes, 2018 will see roughly as many injuries and fatalities from large truck collisions as we saw in 2017. Tens of thousands of people will be injured or killed from crashing with 80,000-pound behemoths—many of them operated by exhausted, fatigued, and sleep-deprived drivers. At least 1 in 7 truck crashes are directly caused by fatigue, while 1 in 4 occur when an operator has been driving for 17 hours or longer. Why are there so many accidents caused by tired drivers?
Trucking companies are responsible in more ways than one. To start, trucking companies are responsible for their drivers, full stop. If you were injured in a truck accident involving Werner Enterprises or any other carrier, then the company needs to answer for their employee. More specifically, however, trucking companies have created an industry where drivers are compelled to drive longer hours, sleep less, and take fewer breaks—without extra pay. Their 'secret' is pay-by-mile. By paying drivers less than 50 cents a mile, they incentivize drivers to drive longer hours. However, drivers do more than drive. Hours of a driver's day can be spent doing vital, non-driving work that benefits the company—but doesn't get reflected in their pay. On top of traffic, bad weather, or unexpected delays, drivers can work between 10-12 hours a day and lose money.
- Driving to pick up new loads
- Planning routes
- Abiding by federally-mandated rest breaks
- Waiting for loading
- Waiting for unloading
- Submitting to rig inspections
That's why many drivers turn to illegal methods of getting 'around' hours of service regulations. All drivers are required to keep a logbook of where and how much they drove. By falsifying these logbooks (or keeping 2 of them), drivers can fool regulators and drive for 17-20 hours in a stretch. Some terrible accidents have happened because drivers were hauling for 30 hours or longer because they needed to "make their miles."
Do companies condone these practices? Not officially. But drivers learn them from somewhere—and they often learn them while in carrier-funded driving schools, which teach them the tools of the trade, both legal and illicit. And trucking companies certainly don't put effort into attempting to fix the issue of tired drivers. For them, tired drivers make them the most money for minimal cost.
Billions Won by Werner Enterprises Truck Accident Lawyers
Truck accidents are almost always devastating. People lose their livelihoods and loved ones in an instant, and overnight an accident victim can end up with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical costs. Families live on pennies while their claim gets held up by an army of adjusters and investigators. Our Werner Enterprises truck accident attorneys won't stand for it.
Arnold & Itkin levels the playing field by putting investigators, experts, and adjusters to work on behalf of our clients—forcing truck companies to face the facts. We help our clients claim every penny they're entitled to, including medical costs, lost wages, diminished earning ability, and even basic living expenses while the trial is pending. As a result, our clients have won billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements to rebuild their lives. Our clients don't pay a penny unless we win their case, so they can focus on healing and getting better.
Speak with us—call (888) 493-1629 or contact us online to review your case with an attorney for free.
