We all heard the shocking news this weekend that actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was seriously injured in a crash Saturday night when his limo bus was rear-ended by a Walmart semi truck. This tractor trailer driver caused a six-car pile-up that critically injured Morgan and two of his other passengers, and killed another passenger.

Now officials are charging that the truck driver had not slept for more than 24 hours before the crash.

Federal Regulations For Truck Drivers

Federal regulations limit truckers to 11 hours of driving during a 14-hour work day, with no more than 70 hours a week on the road without extra breaks. And although regulations state that a driver who is too sleepy to drive safely must pull over, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that fatal crashes involving large trucks rose between 2009 and 2012, and driver fatigue played a large part in many of those crashes.

Just last week, the U.S. Senate voted on an amendment to a transportation funding bill that would eliminate some federal rules about how long big rig drivers can be on the road and when they are required to take breaks. This accident may be an example that more federal oversight is needed for trucker schedules, not less.
 
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident with a semi or other large truck, call us today at 816-842-7100. We’ll make sure you get compensated for your losses. Or you can click here to email us and schedule your free consultation. 

Jason C. Amerine
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President and Owner, Castle Law Office of Kansas City
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