Most people have deadlines to meet when driving. For example, you have to drop your child off at school before the gate closes, get to work before the boss notices you are late and get to the shop before it closes. Yet commercial drivers are under more time pressure than most.
Companies that use drivers to deliver structure the schedule to get the most out of the drivers and the vehicles. It is understandable to a degree as a truck costs a lot of money, and every minute it is sat still, it is not helping the owner pay off the loan they took for it. Yet, sometimes companies go too far.
Trucks need breaks
While truck engines can keep going far longer than their drivers, they too need downtime. Like any machine, they need maintenance and repairs. Failing to schedule timely checks and services misses the opportunity to catch minor issues before they become major ones and lead to a crash.
Drivers need rest
Driving is tiring. However comfortable a truck cab is, it cannot overcome the fact that drivers need to stop, walk around, eat and sleep. The same applies to drivers of smaller delivery vehicles. They are not machines, and they cannot keep going safely unless their employer allows adequate downtime.
Yet, many employers push their drivers over the limit. The relaxed rules surrounding trucker hours do not help either. Many claim they will lead to more crashes by allowing employers to force their drivers to work beyond a safe limit.
If a commercial driver injures you, you will need to find out more about their recent schedule. If you can show that fatigue played a role, it will make getting the compensation you need easier.