How Driver Fatigue Leads to Serious Truck Crashes

Jul 02, 2025

Truck drivers often spend long hours behind the wheel, covering hundreds of miles in a single shift. Fatigue directly impairs reaction times, alertness, and decision-making, increasing the risk of serious crashes on highways and city roads. When truck drivers are tired, even routine driving tasks can become dangerous.

Studies by safety organizations show that fatigue-related accidents are a significant concern in commercial trucking. Federal regulations like Hours of Service rules are designed to limit driving time and reduce fatigue, but incidents still occur. Fatigued drivers may overlook traffic signals, drift between lanes, or misjudge stopping distances, putting themselves and others at risk.

Recognizing the signs of driver fatigue and understanding its impact is essential for anyone sharing the road with trucks. Awareness can help reduce the frequency and severity of crashes involving large commercial vehicles.

Understanding Driver Fatigue in Truck Accidents

Driver fatigue is a significant risk factor in truck accidents, contributing to impairment of reaction time, judgment, and decision-making ability. Trucks involved in fatigue-related crashes often have more severe outcomes due to their size and weight.

Defining Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue refers to a state of physical and mental exhaustion that reduces a person’s capacity to operate a vehicle safely. It can cause slower reflexes, lapses in attention, and decreased awareness of surroundings. In truck accident investigations, driver fatigue in truck accidents is identified by signs such as erratic steering, failure to react, and microsleep episodes.

Fatigue differs from general tiredness; it involves persistent sleepiness and may result from insufficient sleep, long hours on the road, or irregular schedules. The impact of fatigue is compared to driving under the influence of alcohol, as both can impair cognitive and motor functions crucial for safe driving.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) characterizes fatigue as any reduced alertness due to sleep loss, circadian disruptions, or prolonged activity, all of which can be present in a truck accident due to fatigue.

Common Causes of Driver Fatigue

Several factors contribute to fatigue-related truck crashes:

Extended Hours of Service: Long driving shifts, often exceeding federal Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations, leave drivers with little time for restorative sleep.
Irregular Schedules: Night driving and rotating shifts disturb the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm).
Sleep Disorders: Conditions such as sleep apnea are more common among truck drivers and often go undiagnosed.
Poor Sleep Environment: Sleeping in cabs or at rest stops can make complete, deep sleep difficult.
Pressure and Deadlines: Tight delivery schedules sometimes encourage drivers to forego breaks or skip sleep.

The combination of these elements increases the likelihood of a truck accident due to fatigue and reduces the ability to recover from minor errors on the road.

Prevalence and Key Statistics

Fatigue plays a documented role in serious truck crashes. According to the FMCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study, 13% of commercial motor vehicle drivers involved in crashes were considered fatigued at the time of the incident.

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) review found fatigue to be a probable cause in up to 30-40% of heavy truck crashes. The risk rises during overnight and early morning hours.

How Fatigue Impacts Truck Drivers and Crash Risk

Fatigue affects key functions like alertness, reaction time, and decision-making in truck drivers. It also plays a direct role in many large vehicle accidents, as seen in actual crash investigations.

Physical and Cognitive Impairment

Driver fatigue leads to slower reflexes, frequent yawning, and heavy eyelids. These physical signs make it harder for truck drivers to pay attention to shifting road conditions, recognize hazards, or keep vehicles in their lanes.

Mentally, fatigue impairs judgment and shortens attention spans. Studies show that being awake for more than 17 hours can reduce performance to that of someone with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%. This level of impairment puts drivers at significant risk.

Common types of cognitive impairment from fatigue include:

Memory lapses
Reduced focus
Delayed reaction times

These effects limit a driver’s ability to process traffic signals, respond to sudden stops, or manage complex driving decisions under pressure.

Real-World Case Studies

Crash reports make clear the dangers of fatigue in commercial trucking. For example, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has linked driver fatigue to about 13% of serious truck crashes in its investigations.

One notable case involved a long-haul trucker who fell asleep after exceeding his legal hours of service, resulting in a multi-vehicle crash on an interstate. Data from electronic logging devices confirmed he had skipped mandatory breaks.

Investigations often find that fatigue was overlooked by trucking companies despite warning signs. Records sometimes show ignored rest periods or falsified logs. These patterns show a recurring link between fatigue and preventable collisions, emphasizing the need for strict compliance and monitoring.

Legal Responsibilities and Consequences of Fatigue-Related Crashes

Fatigue-related truck crashes trigger significant legal scrutiny for both drivers and companies. Legal rules address the causes, while violations can result in fines, lawsuits, and liability for personal injury.

Trucking Regulations on Rest and Working Hours

Federal law, specifically the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours of Service (HOS) rules, limits how long commercial drivers can be on the road. These rules require a maximum of 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive off-duty hours and restrict weekly driving to 60–70 hours over 7–8 days.

Drivers must keep accurate logbooks or use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to record their hours. Periodic inspections and audits check for violations. Penalties for infractions include fines, license suspension, and possible criminal charges if negligence is proven.

Employers must train drivers on HOS compliance and monitor records. Consistent failure to follow these regulations can be used as evidence in personal injury or wrongful death claims after a crash.

Liability of Truck Drivers and Companies

Liability in fatigue-related crashes generally falls on both the truck driver and the trucking company. If a driver is found to have violated HOS rules or to have driven while knowingly fatigued, they may face both civil and criminal penalties.

Trucking companies can be held liable if they encouraged violations, failed to enforce rest periods, or did not address drivers’ needs. Plaintiffs in truck accident litigation often target both the driver and the employer for damages.

Personal injury lawyers investigate driver logs, company policies, and dispatcher records to prove negligence. Many law firms offer services tailored to crash victims, focusing on compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The stakes can be high, especially when the crash causes serious injuries or fatalities.

What to Do After a Truck Accident Caused by Driver Fatigue

Victims of truck crashes linked to driver fatigue face immediate risks and complex legal issues. Securing evidence and understanding legal support are essential for protecting rights and seeking fair compensation.

Immediate Steps to Protect Your Rights

After a crash, individuals should move to a safe location if possible and check for injuries. Contact emergency services and seek medical attention, even if injuries are minor, as documentation will be needed later.

It is important to document the scene using photos and videos, capturing damage, road conditions, and the position of all vehicles. Collect contact and insurance information from everyone involved and obtain information for any witnesses.

Victims should avoid making statements about fault at the scene. Instead, they should request a copy of the official police report when available. Keeping all records — including medical reports, repair estimates, and correspondence with insurers — is key to protecting their legal position.

How a Lawyer Can Help with Fatigue-Related Claims

A lawyer can assist in identifying signs of driver fatigue, such as logbook violations, lack of required rest breaks, or medical records showing sleep disorders. Legal professionals at Smith & Weidinger are experienced in securing evidence like employment records and surveillance footage.

Attorneys provide guidance when communicating with insurance companies to prevent victims from saying anything that could jeopardize their claim. We also help file claims within deadlines and negotiate settlements that reflect the full extent of damages.

Smith & Weidinger is dedicated to helping victims of truck accidents caused by driver fatigue. Our experience in truck accident law allows us to advocate effectively for fair compensation and help victims navigate the legal process with confidence.

Note: The information provided in this blog post has been compiled from publicly available and secondary sources. While we strive for accuracy, some details may become outdated or contain inadvertent errors. If you believe any information is incorrect or requires updating, please contact Smith & Weidinger so that we may review and make the appropriate corrections.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a solicitation for business. The photo used is not from the scene of the incident described. Viewing this content does not create an attorney-client relationship with Smith & Weidinger. If you have been injured in an accident, please seek immediate medical attention and then consult with a qualified attorney to discuss your legal rights and options.