Drowsy Driving Truck Crash Attorneys 

The Silent Killer: How Sleep Deprivation Destroys a Truck Driver’s Performance

If you’ve been hit by a truck in New York, you already know how devastating these crashes can be. The massive size and weight of these vehicles mean injuries are often severe, and in the worst cases, lives are lost. One of the biggest dangers lurking behind the wheel? Fatigue.

Truck drivers spend long hours on the road, and when they don’t get enough rest, their ability to drive safely takes a serious hit. Fatigue slows reaction times, clouds judgment, and makes it harder to stay focused. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, driver fatigue plays a role in at least 13% of all commercial truck crashes. That’s a huge number, and if you’ve been in an accident, there’s a real chance exhaustion was a factor.

Fatigued truck driver liability is a serious issue, and the personal injury attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, can help you hold negligent drivers accountable.

Was the Truck Driver Asleep at the Wheel? Signs of Fatigue You Can’t Ignore

New York’s highways are always busy. From the New York State Thruway to the Long Island Expressway, truckers have to stay sharp. But if they’re running on empty, dangerous mistakes happen. Here’s what fatigue does to a truck driver:

• Microsleeps: Ever blinked and realized you lost a second or two? Now imagine that happening while steering an 80,000-pound truck at 65 mph.
• Delayed Reaction Times: A trucker who’s exhausted isn’t going to slam the brakes fast enough. That tiny delay can turn a near-miss into a disaster.
• Impaired Decision-Making: When your brain is drained, you make bad calls—misjudging distances, missing signs, and making dangerous lane changes.

If you’ve been hit by a truck, one of the first questions to ask is: Was the driver exhausted? Fatigue isn’t always obvious, but there are telltale signs that can prove the trucker wasn’t fit to drive. Watch for:

• Erratic Driving: Drifting between lanes, sudden braking, or inconsistent speeds can mean the driver was nodding off.
• Logbook Lies: Truckers are required to record their driving hours, but some falsify logs to squeeze in extra miles. If records don’t add up, there’s a problem.
• Late-Night Crashes: Most fatigue-related accidents happen between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.—prime time for drowsy driving.
• No Attempt to Avoid the Crash: If a truck slams into you and there’s no sign of swerving or braking, chances are the driver was too exhausted to react.

Exposing the Truth: How to Prove Truck Driver Fatigue in an Accident Case

Proving that fatigue played a role in your crash isn’t easy, but with the right legal team, it’s absolutely possible. Here’s how we dig up the truth:

Driver Logs & GPS Data. We compare the trucker’s logbook to GPS records to see if they violated legal drive-time limits.

Electronic Logging Devices. These onboard systems track exactly when a driver was on the road and when they took breaks—if the logs don’t match, something’s off.

Eyewitness Accounts. Other drivers, pedestrians, or even the trucker’s co-workers might have noticed signs of exhaustion before the crash.

Expert Analysis. Accident reconstruction specialists can analyze the crash to determine whether fatigue was a factor.

Commercial driver hours of service violations are a major red flag in cases involving truck crashes. If a trucker exceeded their legal driving hours, it could be a key piece of evidence proving negligence.

The Deadly Secrets of the Trucking Industry: How Violations Lead to Tragedies

Trucking companies know that well-rested drivers are safer, but when they prioritize profits over safety, victims need a personal injury attorney to fight back., but that doesn’t stop some from breaking the rules. Why? Because in this industry, time is money. The more miles a driver covers, the more profit a company makes—so some push their drivers too hard, ignoring safety laws. Here are some of the biggest violations we see:

• Exceeding Legal Drive-Time Limits: The law sets strict limits on how many hours a trucker can drive before taking a break, but some companies pressure drivers to keep going.
• Skipping Required Rest Breaks: Truckers are supposed to take breaks, but some skip them to meet impossible deadlines.
• Unrealistic Delivery Schedules: When companies expect drivers to cover too much ground in too little time, drivers have no choice but to push past their limits.

Trucking company negligence in fatigue-related accidents is a growing concern. Some companies turn a blind eye to exhausted drivers, putting profits over safety.

Who’s to Blame? Understanding Comparative Negligence in New York Truck Accidents

New York has a “pure comparative negligence” rule. That means even if you were partly at fault, you can still recover damages. The catch? Your compensation gets reduced based on your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re found 30% responsible, you’d still get 70% of your total damages.

That’s why it’s critical to work with a skilled attorney. Trucking companies and their insurers will try to blame you—don’t let them get away with it.

The Unseen Toll: Pain and Suffering Damages in a Drowsy Driving Truck Crash

A truck crash doesn’t just leave physical scars—it can destroy your quality of life. In New York, you can seek compensation for:

• Physical Pain: Lingering pain from broken bones, spinal injuries, or head trauma that may never fully heal.
• Emotional Trauma: PTSD, anxiety, and depression are common after a terrifying accident.
• Loss of Enjoyment: If your injuries stop you from doing the things you love—whether it’s playing sports, hiking, or just picking up your kids—it’s a loss you deserve to be compensated for.

Pain and suffering damages aren’t as easy to calculate as medical bills, but that doesn’t mean they don’t matter. A strong legal team will fight to make sure you’re compensated fairly. Legal compensation for drowsy driving truck wrecks can include both economic and non-economic damages, ensuring you get the justice you deserve.

Don't Wait! Contact Our New York Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one was hit by a fatigued truck driver, don’t go up against the trucking company alone. At Horn Wright, LLP, our experienced personal injury attorneys know how to take on big trucking corporations and win. We’re proud to be recognized for our dedication—hire one of the best law firms in America and let us fight for you. We’ll gather the evidence, handle the paperwork, and fight to get you the compensation you deserve. 

Contact us today for a free consultation—because you shouldn’t have to pay the price for someone else’s exhaustion.