According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), almost 20,000 people are injured and 750 more are killed due to sleep-deprived commercial vehicle operators. In response to these statistics, the FMCSA has come up with rules that mandate commercial truck operators can drive up to 10 hours straight before having to rest for at least 8 hours.
Here are some more statistics from the FMCSA that indicate longer rest periods can reduce the chances of South Dakota truck accidents:
- Even though large trucks are only 3 percent of all motor vehicles on the road, 13 percent of all passenger vehicle fatalities can be attributed to large truck accidents.
- As many as 4 out of 10 South Dakota truck accidents are attributable to truck driver fatigue.
- The risk of South Dakota truck accidents double and triple during the 8th to 10th hours driving alone and the 10th to 11th hours of driving respectively.