Truck Accident Settlements on the Rise

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According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, every year more than 4,000 people are killed in accidents involving trucks. Nearly 40% of these fatalities are due to driver fatigue. This equates to over 1500 lives that could have easily been saved if truck drivers and their companies were more stringent on rest requirements. Fifty-six percent of drivers say that their last instance of falling asleep while driving occurred on a multi-lane divided highway. With millions of cars traveling major highways around the country, the dangers of accidents related to fatigue are high. Truck accident settlements can help ease the financial burden, but no one wants to be faced with injuries, lost wages, mental anguish, and additional hardship to their families.

Everybody wants to go after the trucking company for how they hire, how they train, and how they supervise their drivers. Companies think this is pure selfishness on the part of the victims and fail to fully realize the role they play in the actions of their drivers. The average workweek in the U.S. is under 40 hours, but the average workweek for truckers is over 60 hours. In a field where fatigue is an on-going problem, truck drivers should face better regulation of on- and off-road periods. Long-haul truckers depend on their deliveries to make a living, but at what cost? With the cost of medical care rising, truck accident settlements are on the rise as well.