Accidents involving large commercial trucks can occur anytime, anywhere. Even if the sun is shining with no traffic and perfectly dry, even road surfaces, a truck driver may still make a mistake that leads to a collision with a smaller passenger vehicle. However, the risk of accident does significantly increase in adverse weather, high volume traffic, or on poorly maintained roads. Additionally, a great number of commercial truck accidents occur at night. If you have been injured in an accident with a large truck due to driver negligence, you deserve to be compensated by the responsible driver. Truck accident cases may be complicated, however, so you always want to consult with an experienced truck accident attorney in Fayette County regarding a possible case for recovery.
A large number of truck drivers prefer to drive at night for many reasons. First, there is significantly less traffic on the freeways and interstates during the overnight hours, therefore they have more open road and have a better chance of maintaining a constant speed and making better time. Furthermore, many truck drivers have irregular sleeping patterns due to long, 11 hours shifts on the road with short, intermittent sleep periods. Therefore, driving at night often simply works better with their schedule and sleep cycle. Though there are fewer passenger cars on the roads at night, many drivers who are traveling choose to drive at night, as well.
Even if truck drivers believe they have ample sleep, nighttime driving can cause fatigue to set in more easily than during the day. Therefore, the risk of them losing focus or dozing off behind the wheel greatly increases at night. Also, accidents often happen due to visibility issues at night. If a truck driver cannot adequately see, it often results in dangerous accidents. Even though truck drivers believe they are fully capable of safely driving at night, many mistakes are still made and accidents frequently happen.
Contact a Fayette County personal injury attorney for a free consultation
If you have suffered injuries in a commercial truck accident, the responsible party should be held liable for your injuries. Call (980) 246-2656 today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer at Shane Smith Law.