Dangers Posed By Trucking Shortage

The trucking industry in the United States is currently facing a trucking shortage of 80,000 drivers. There has been an increase in turnover rates and retirement rates among experienced drivers. Estimates indicate that by 2028 there will be 160,000 fewer truckers than predicted before the pandemic.

The Dangers Posed by a Shortage of 80,000 Drivers in the Trucking Industry

There are many dangers posed by a shortage of drivers in the trucking industry including increased freight prices and potential shortages in other industries caused by lack of goods being delivered on time. In order to combat this problem, one solution would be to raise the driving age. This would allow the industry to find more qualified drivers.

With fewer truck drivers to support their fleets, trucking companies are offering incentives for commercial drivers’ license holders to join their ranks.  Incentives include signing bonuses of $15,000.  Texas has 683,533 miles of highways—that is a lot of highways.  Texas has some of the most dangerous highways in the country.  Houston’s I-45 is the most dangerous highway in the U.S.

Many truck accidents are due to driver fatigue (also known as drowsy driving).

Drowsy Driving

One of the leading causes of truck accidents is drowsy driving.  The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes that 100,000 accidents are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. The NHTSA also estimates that drowsy drivers cause as many as 40,000 accident-related injuries and 1,500 deaths.  Signs of drowsy driving include:

• Yawning or blinking frequently.
• Difficulty remembering the past few miles driven.
• Missing your exit.
• Drifting from your lane.
• Hitting a rumble strip.

The Harvard School of Medicine – Sleep Medicine Division conducted a survey on the topic of drowsy driving.  The study revealed that 250,000 people fall asleep while driving and 50 percent of the participants in the study admitted to driving while fatigued.  Shockingly, nearly half of the truck drivers that participated in the study admitted to “drifting off” while on a long-haul drive.

Drowsy driving is a serious matter, and many experts believe that driving while tired is similar to driving under the influence.  Studies show that an individual who has been operating a vehicle for 17 or more hours might have the same driving errors as a driver with a blood-alcohol level of 0.5 or more.  According to the drowsy driving statistics provided by Bankrate:

• Drowsy driving accounts for about 100,000 crashes annually on the roadway, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities per year.
• Drowsy driving contributes to an estimated 9.5% of all crashes, and 10.8% of those that involved airbag deployment.

What to do if You Are in an Accident With a Truck Driver

Accident injuries caused by drowsy drivers can often be very serious. You and your family may even be dealing with a serious car accident caused by a drowsy driver.  It’s critical that you take strong legal action to hold the at-fault driver accountable for their actions.  You need to hire Morrow & Sheppard to represent you.

How Can Truck Accident Attorneys at Morrow & Sheppard LLP Help Me?

When you put Morrow & Sheppard LLP to work, we will take an aggressive approach to preserve the evidence you will need later to hold the truck driver and trucking company responsible. This is very important for many different reasons, including:

• The drowsy truck driver who caused the collision might deny being asleep at the time of the crash.
• The drowsy truck driver might try to claim you or your loved one somehow caused the accident.
• The drowsy truck driver might deny that he was being overworked.
• The trucking company may attempt to get rid of evidence that will be helpful to you.

The attorneys at Morrow & Sheppard LLP will find the facts to build your strongest possible case.  We will meticulously review accident reports and evidence for details to support your claim.  We will hire the experts you need to support your case and we will work to get you all the compensation that you deserve.

The experienced trucking accident lawyers at Morrow & Sheppard are equipped to assist you in handling your claims if you are involved in a truck or 18-wheeler accident. Call us now to obtain a free, confidential consultation and legal advice on your case.