All drivers need to be fully rested when they’re behind the wheel because fatigue is a contributing factor to many crashes. When the driver is operating a big rig, the dangers to the drivers around them are significant if that trucker is fatigued.

One issue that plagues some truckers is that they have to drive at night. This might be because of their employer’s requirements, but it may be due to lighter traffic that enables them to traverse more miles in their allotted hours on the road.

When they drive at night, they may become fatigued more easily because of the body’s natural circadian rhythm. The internal body clock naturally wants to sleep from midnight to 6:00 in the morning and from 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon. During this time, they’re more likely to become drowsy.

Some individuals, including truckers will try to alleviate the fatigue by consuming caffeine or using other methods like opening the windows of the cab. These might work for a short-term solution until they can find a suitable place to stop for rest, but they aren’t meant to be long-term solutions to drive hours or hundreds of miles.

Taking a look into the hours of service logs can help to determine whether there is a significant chance that fatigue contributed to a semitruck crash. This might help victims who opt to pursue a claim for compensation. Their case may claim damages for medical care costs, missed wages and a host of other types. Working with someone who is familiar with semitruck wrecks and how to handle them might take some stress off the victims so they can focus on healing.