How Drowsy Driving Increases Trucking Accident Rates

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Drowsy driving is a common factor in truck accidents. Truck drivers work long hours and generally work alone, putting them at significant risk of fatigue while behind the wheel. Monotonous activity, such as driving, can make drivers more prone to fatigue. Understanding the causes of drowsy driving, how it causes accidents, and what we can do to make the roads safer can go a long way in reducing accident rates.

Understanding the Impact of Drowsy Driving on Accident Rates
When you consider the multitude of ways fatigue impacts your cognitive performance, it is obvious why drowsy driving leads to more accidents. Fatigue negatively affects a truck driver’s alertness, reaction time, and decision-making abilities. This can lead to delayed responses when an unexpected obstacle is on the road or lead a driver to make a bad judgment call when they have to decide how to avoid a crash. These errors are almost entirely preventable.

Tired truck drivers are more prone to falling asleep at the wheel or experiencing momentary lapses in attention. These are major errors that dramatically increase the likelihood of a crash. Since truck accidents are already more likely to be severe than passenger vehicle collisions, this type of error can be fatal.

Factors Contributing to Drowsy Driving in the Trucking Industry
Several factors within the trucking industry contribute to the prevalence of drowsy driving among truck drivers. These factors include long and demanding work schedules. Truck drivers often face unreasonable schedules that involve long hours of driving, irregular shift patterns, and tight delivery deadlines. These factors can lead to inadequate sleep and force them back behind the wheel before they’re ready. Unfortunately, this type of change must come from within the trucking industry—employers must be held accountable when they force drivers to put in more hours than they can safely manage.

The trucking industry operates in a fast-paced environment where meeting delivery deadlines is crucial. Companies often put this pressure on drivers, rather than hiring enough drivers to meet deadlines safely. This pressure can push truck drivers to sacrifice sleep, choosing instead to drive for extended periods without adequate rest. Fatigued driving is nearly inevitable in this situation.

Consequences of Drowsy Driving in Trucking Accidents
Drowsy driving in the trucking industry can have severe consequences. It impacts the safety of the driver, other motorists, and the company they work for. Consider this: fatigued driving generally leads to more severe accidents. Trucking accidents involving drowsy driving tend to be more severe due to the size and weight of commercial vehicles.

High-speed collisions caused by drowsy driving can result in catastrophic injuries and fatalities. When a driver is awake and causes an accident, they at least have the chance to try to take evasive action and minimize the damage. A sleeping driver has no such opportunity.

Trucking accidents caused by drowsy driving can lead to significant legal and financial consequences. Trucking companies and drivers may face personal injury claims, legal penalties, increased insurance premiums, and damage to their professional reputation.

Limiting Drowsy Driving Risks and Enhancing Safety
There’s a lot that can be done by drivers, legislators, and company owners to make trucking safer. Some professionals have recommended even stricter regulations on hours of service and required rest periods, while others suggest enhanced education and training that informs drivers of the severe risks of drowsy driving.

Technology is one way to make drowsy driving less common. Some cars come with built-in eye detection that sounds an alarm when a driver’s eyes are averted away from the road or close completely. This type of technology in trucks could be lifesaving.

While some approaches focus on training and educating drivers, others put the onus on company owners. By citing company owners when they force truck drivers to work under unsafe conditions or while fatigued, experts suggest that we may see far fewer fatigued drivers on the road.

Have you been injured in a truck accident? You may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses and other losses. Let’s sit down and talk about your options now. Set up a time to talk to the team at Kingbird Legal at our West Chester office. You can reach us online or at 484-289-4880.

Important Steps to Take After Being Involved in a Motorcycle Accident

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Riding a motorcycle is one of life’s simplest joys—there’s nothing like riding as the sun comes up or stopping your ride at the end of the day to watch the sunset over the horizon. Unfortunately, this hobby comes with more than its fair share of risks. Many drivers are not trained on how to drive safely around motorcycles, which means that they often take unnecessary risks. Knowing what you should do after an accident can save time when every moment matters and help you fight for fair and full compensation.

Ensure Your Safety
The immediate priority after a motorcycle accident is to ensure your safety and the safety of others in the area. If possible, move yourself and your motorcycle to a safe area away from traffic to avoid further accidents or injuries. When you’re in a car accident, you often don’t want to move your motorcycle until a police officer or emergency dispatcher tells you to do so. But when you’re on a motorcycle, that simply isn’t the case—drivers are unlikely to see your bike in the middle of the road, which makes additional accidents likely.

Once you’ve ensured that you’re safe from additional collisions, assess your physical condition and check for any injuries. If you or anyone else is seriously injured, call emergency services immediately.

Report the Accident
Properly reporting the accident and notifying the relevant parties is essential for the claims process. Immediately report the accident to the police if you have not already called emergency services. The West Chester Police Department may respond to the scene. You will also want to contact your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident and start your accident claim.

At some point shortly after the accident, the other party’s insurance company may also reach out to you. Be very cautious about what you say and consider whether or not you even want to answer the phone. If the other party’s insurance company calls you, you may be better off talking to your attorney before you take their call.

Gather Evidence at the Scene
Collecting evidence from the accident scene is vital for building a strong motorcycle accident case. Take photographs and video footage of the accident scene. Ensure that some of your photos and videos include the positions of both vehicles, damage to the vehicles, skid marks, traffic signs, license plates, and any visible injuries. These visual records can be useful to your insurance provider and your attorney as they establish what happened and figure out who is liable.

If anyone stops at the scene to provide assistance or their view of what happened, get their contact information. Their statements may become a critical part of your accident claim, especially if there are major discrepancies between your side of events and what the other driver says.

If possible, preserve any physical evidence related to the accident. This may include damaged parts of your motorcycle, clothing, or objects at the scene.

Seek Medical Care
Even if your injuries initially appear minor, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent, and a medical professional can provide a thorough evaluation and documentation of your injuries. There are several facilities in the West Chester area, including AFC Urgent Care West Chester and Chester County Hospital Emergency Department.

Talk to An Attorney
If pursuing compensation is one of your top priorities after a crash, it is important to talk to a motorcycle accident lawyer right away. They can take over communication with the other party’s insurance company, gather important evidence, and build a case supporting your right to compensation. They will also handle negotiations in an effort to get you the fair and full compensation you are owed. Ideally, you should talk to an attorney as soon as possible after your collision.

The team at Kingbird Legal understands the devastation a motorcycle accident can cause. We’re here to support you as you fight for a fair settlement. Take the first step in your claim right now by calling our West Chester, PA office today at 484-289-4880 or by sending us an online message.

Tips for Building a Strong Auto Accident Case

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If you’ve been hurt in a car accident and you’re planning on pursuing a personal injury claim, it’s important to know exactly what it takes to create a solid case. With these tips, you can protect your right to seek compensation and fight for the fair settlement you deserve.

Gather Relevant Evidence
If possible, document the accident scene before you leave by taking photographs or videos. Be sure to capture the location of the vehicles, skid marks, traffic signs, and any other relevant details. This visual evidence can help reconstruct the accident and determine fault, and this is your only time to capture it—by the time you’re able to return to the scene, it will be cleaned up.

Get a copy of the police report created at the scene of the accident. This document typically includes important details like the parties involved, witness statements, and the officer’s assessment of fault. It will also generally include any citations given out or arrests made at the scene.

Collect all medical records related to your injuries. This includes hospital records, diagnostic tests, treatment plans, and bills. These records prove the extent and nature of your injuries.

In some cases, there may be surveillance footage or dashcam recordings that captured the accident. Get this footage as soon as possible, since it can give a neutral analysis of what happened. You should know, though, that footage tends to disappear after a certain timeframe. It’s either deleted to make space or overwritten by newer footage. Getting a copy should be a top priority.

Document Everything
To build a strong auto accident case, it’s crucial to document the damages and injuries you suffered as a result of the accident. This demonstrates the impact of the accident on your life and supports your personal injury claim. Keep records of all repairs made to your vehicle, or if you’re waiting for a settlement to make repairs, get an estimate for the cost of repairs. This helps establish the property damage caused by the accident.

Maintain detailed records of every type of treatment you receive. This includes doctor’s visits, hospital stays, surgery, rehabilitation, and therapy. Document all of the accident-related medical expenses you incur, such as medical bills, prescription costs, and transportation expenses.

You may also want to keep a journal or record detailing the physical pain, emotional distress, and lifestyle changes resulting from your injuries. This documentation can provide evidence of the widespread losses you have experienced.

Talk to Eyewitnesses
Witness testimonies can significantly strengthen your auto accident case by providing objective accounts of the incident. At the scene, identify individuals who witnessed the accident or arrived at the scene shortly after. This may include bystanders, passengers, or nearby drivers. Note, though, that the testimony of neutral parties tends to be more valuable than the testimony of passengers in either vehicle.

Get the contact information of potential witnesses, including their names and phone numbers, before you leave the scene. It is far harder to track someone down after the fact. This allows your attorney to reach out to them for statements or testimony.

Work With an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
Building a strong auto accident case requires the guidance and expertise of an experienced attorney. An auto accident attorney in Washington DC has in-depth knowledge of the relevant laws, regulations, and legal procedures affecting your case. They can help you navigate the complexities of your case and ensure that your rights are protected.

Your attorney will conduct a thorough investigation into the accident. They may gather evidence, analyze police reports, and review medical records. They will use this information to evaluate the strength of your case and identify the best legal strategies to pursue.

From there, your attorney will represent your interests during negotiations with insurance companies. They will advocate for a fair settlement and provide evidence linking the insurance company’s client to your injuries and subsequent expenses.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car accident, it’s time to talk to the team at Kingbird Legal. Call our West Chester, PA office at 484-289-4880 or message us online to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.