Mar 17, 2025 - Blogs by Sky Law Group
Semi trucks transport goods throughout our busy streets on a daily basis. Semi-trucks use our local roads and freeways, merging and finding their way through our busy streets. However, behind the wheels are usually overworked truck drivers who have limited or interrupted sleep schedules and face long, grueling hours of work, leading to catastrophic accidents and the victims of these families being devastated. At Sky Law Group, we are well aware of the tragic consequences of these often preventable accidents and are committed to fighting for our client’s rights and holding the insurance carrier liable for the negligence of their driver.
Fatigue is Quite Common in Semi Truck Accidents
Fatigue is one of the leading causes of sem-truck accidents in the United States. The statistics is alarming:
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows that driver fatigue is the cause of 30–40% of all heavy truck crashes. 18.
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) concludes that nearly 13% of drivers involved in serious crashes were fatigued at the time of the accident. 37.
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), accidents that involve fatigue-related results in nearly 40,000 injuries and 1,500 fatalities yearly. 2.
These numbers demonstrate the immense dangers on our roadways.
What Makes Driver Fatigue So Dangerous on Our Roads
Simply put, operation of a semi truck requires full focus and being alert to make quick decisions given the sheer size of the truck. Fatigue significantly reduces the ability to focus, as slower reaction times lead to poor judgment on the roads. Sometimes, fatigue leads to periods of microsleep where small moments of unconsciousness can occur without warning. The facts are quite startling:
- Minimal sleep and being fully awake for 18 hours is similar to blood alcohol levels of 0.08%, the legal limit for intoxication.
- Most accidents leading to sleep deprivation or fatigue occur between midnight and 6 a.m.
- To make matters worse, fatigued drivers fail to take any remedial measures prior to an accident, meaning failing to break or swerve, which leads to devastation and massive accidents on our roadways
As you can see from the stats above, fatigue can be similar to a DUI accident, and the consequences can be deadly.
Call Sky Law Group for Semi-Truck Accident Cases
At Sky Law Group, we understand how devastating semi-truck accidents can be, especially when the truck driver is under a tremendous amount of work stress and fatigue. Liability against the insurance carriers typically falls on a few issues:
1) Did the truck driver take the requested rest breaks as required by HOS regulations
2) Did any mechanical failure of the semi-truck lead to the collision
3) Was adequate maintenance of the semi-truck performed or ignored?
Our law firm investigates each and every claim with precision to determine the cause of liability.
How Sky Law Group Can Help
An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process, collect evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Insurance companies have deep pockets and tricks up their sleeves. We level the playing field and fight against insurance companies to get the maximum compensation our client’s deserve. Don’t settle without calling us first. We are a five-star-rated litigation firm and we don’t play games with insurance companies. We have represented thousands of injured accident victims in California and are ready to fight for you.
If you’ve been involved in a rear-end accident in Orange, California, don’t wait. The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in California is generally two years from the date of the accident. The sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.
Call Sky Law Group, APC today at 1-866-868-5005 or fill out our online form to schedule your free consultation. Let us fight for the compensation you deserve!