St. Louis Driver Fatigue Accident Lawyers: Pursuing Justice for Drowsy Driving Victims

Driver fatigue is more than a lapse in judgment; in the eyes of Missouri law, it can be a form of negligence. While often associated with commercial truck drivers, drowsy driving is a leading cause of catastrophic collisions on St. Louis arteries like I-64, I-44, and the North Lindbergh corridor.

According to NHTSA, an estimated 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy driving. However, the number of crashes rely on police and hospital reports to determine the incidence of drowsy-driving crashes. NHTSA reports over 50,000 people injured and nearly 800 deaths.

Call our experienced St. Louis personal injury and auto accident attorneys at The Cagle Law Firm today at (314) 276-1681 or contact us online.

Why Driver Fatigue Claims are Complex in Missouri

Unlike a DUI or a speeding ticket, there is no “breathalyzer” for exhaustion. Proving a driver fell asleep at the wheel requires a forensic approach to evidence. Like distracted driving, the violation is not so much the drowsy driving, it is the consequence with the driver fails to follow the rules of the road, i.e: failure to yield, speeding, improper lane change.  Our firm focuses on the following pillars of proof:

1. Violation of the “Careful and Prudent” Standard

Under RSMo § 304.012, every driver in Missouri is required to exercise the “highest degree of care.” Operating a vehicle while physically unable to remain alert is a direct breach of this duty.

2. Commercial Carrier “Hours of Service” (HOS) Violations

If your accident involved a semi-truck or delivery van, we investigate federal FMCSA regulations. We subpoena:

• Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Data: To check for “logbook grooming” or HOS violations.

• Telematics & Dashcam Footage: To observe signs of “microsleep” or lane drifting prior to impact.

• Circadian Rhythm Expert Testimony: To prove the driver was operating during “biological low” periods.

Strategic Evidence Collection in St. Louis

To move a case from a “he-said, she-said” to a high-value settlement, we utilize local resources:

• SLMPD Crash Reports: Analyzing “fatigue/asleep” check-boxes in the official Missouri Uniform Crash Report. Whether the police agency that responded was in Missouri or Illinois, the responding officers and their observances are important to document

• Scene Analysis: Lack of skid marks often indicates the driver never braked because they were unconscious or inattentive.

Defining Driver Fatigue

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), defines driver fatigue as an impaired state due to physical and/or mental exertion often caused by the following:

• Extended work hours
• Strenuous work activities
• Lack of sleep
• Late non-work activities
• Night driving
• Sleep disorders
• Alcohol
• Medications
• Extended road trips
• A combination of multiple factors

Driver fatigue isn’t always just physical. Mental fatigue can reduce your ability to focus on the road as well. Drivers who wouldn’t drive while “physically” tired may not consider their mental fatigue. Driving home immediately after an emotional event, such as a birth, wedding, or funeral, can result in a mental fog as drivers calm down after an emotional high or low.  Uninterrupted focus on the road during a long trip can cause your eyes to lock and become weary.

The Science of Drowsy Driving

Think about last night. Do you remember the moment you fell asleep? You put your book down and closed your eyes, but did you fall asleep at 10:01 or 10:17? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that no one knows the exact moment when they fall asleep. Your body naturally enters its sleep state when it receives certain signals, such as darkness, or triggers from your internal clock, called your circadian rhythm. One in 25 of all drivers reported falling asleep at the wheel while driving in the past 30 days!

Your body requires sleep. Your body is actively trying to get you needed sleep during dips in your rhythm, which commonly occur between midnight and 6 a.m. and in the late afternoon. This is when most fatigue-related accidents occur. Fatigue is your body’s way of telling you it’s time to rest and that it’s preparing you for sleep. Tiredness from physical exertion or a long day of work is not the same as the circadian rhythmic dips.  Fatigue symptoms can resemble intoxication resulting in inattentiveness and delayed reaction times. Drowsiness impacts your ability to pay attention.

Common Accidents Caused by Driver Fatigue

No single type of accident is officially attributable to driver fatigue in St. Louis, but the following types of accidents may indicate a driver was fatigued or fell asleep at the wheel:

• Overcompensation accidents:  Overcompensation after drifting. Drowsy drivers may begin to drift from their lanes only to be jolted awake by a horn or rumble strip. This often causes an overreaction where the driver quickly forces the wheel in the other direction. This can result in a loss of control or hitting another vehicle.
• Rear-end accidents: Any type of distracted driving can result in a rear-end collision.
• T-bone/red light accidents: The longer you drive while tired, the less likely your brain will process the meaning of certain sounds and signals, such as a red light. Further, drivers who take the same route each day can be so unfocused due to fatigue they drive right through known lights.
• Off-road accidents: Unfortunately, motor vehicle occupants aren’t the only victims of driver fatigue. Drowsy drivers can crash into buildings or even pedestrians walking on the shoulder or sidewalk. This can result in serious personal injuries and fatalities.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a car or truck accident, you may be a victim of a drowsy driver in Missouri. Car accidents that people can’t otherwise explain and many nighttime truck accidents may happen because of driver fatigue.

Commercial Motor Vehicle Accidents and Truck Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of large truck accidents in Missouri and Illinois. Long hours of driving combined with  ack of sleep add to the overall dangers of commercial driving in America. Commercial drivers often face unreasonable time limits and quotas by their transportation companies.  We hold commercial drivers to a higher standard as they drive vehicles of great size and capable of great damage.

Transportation companies who employ these drivers do not always set reasonable expectations on drivers. Some transportation companies set unreasonable timelines for drop off and pick up so that drivers feel constantly pushed and are not able to sleep the appropriate amount of time or properly schedule restroom breaks. We have seen too many logs and enough truck driver experiences to know that this does occur more than it should.

The FMCSA instituted certain hours of service regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers to prevent fatigue. These include:

• Requiring 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• Limiting driving to 11 hours thereafter
• Requiring 8 hours of sleep for sleeper berth drivers
• Limiting the amount of hours truck drivers can work in a week
• Requiring periodic “rest breaks” during road trips
• Forcing truck drivers to maintain a logbook of hours to ensure compliance with these regulations

After a truck crash, our attorneys investigate the driver’s log books and records. Discrepancies in the book may be evidence of systematic driver fatigue or fatigue at the time of the car accident. While drivers have to be held accountable, ultimately the transportation carrier is the group that has to be held responsible to institute and enforce safety measures.

Recognizing Drowsy Driving in St. Louis

One of the most effective ways of preventing fatigued driving is by learning the risk factors and warning signs associated with falling asleep at the wheel.  In our modern society, when we have to cut corners for time management, it is usually a cut our sleep. Simply, there are not enough hours in our day.  Risk factors include:

• Having a new baby in the home
• Suffering from sleep apnea
• Driving at night
• Certain medications
• Working long shifts
• Driving for extended periods of time

Pull over and ask for help or pull over and rest, if you have one of the above risk factors and begin to experience the following signs of uncontrollable driver fatigue in Missouri or Illinois:

• Rapid blinking
• Yawning
• Missing a turn or exit
• Drifting from your lane
• Difficulty remembering how far you’ve driven or where you are
• Hitting a rumble strip

Continuing to drive while fatigued endangers you and other motorists.  Have a plan in place for preventing fatigued driving that’s unique to your circumstances.

Tips for Preventing Fatigued Driving

The NHTSA recommends you avoid drowsy driving and associated crashes as follows:

• Ensure teen drivers are getting adequate sleep. They need more than the average adult and are less experienced drivers.
• Do not drink any alcohol before driving, even within legal limits. It causes fatigue in many drivers.
• Check your prescriptions and daily medications to ensure they do not cause fatigue.
• Get seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
• Avoid driving during peak circadian rhythm hours. If you must drive during those times, plan ahead so that you will be rested.

Short-term solutions for late night driving include drinking a cup or two of coffee and taking a twenty-minute nap before driving. It’s not recommended you use caffeine if you’re seriously sleep-deprived. Using caffeine as a long-term solution is not a solution.  Adding coffee or a caffeinated super drink often gives drivers a false sense of alertness. While it may give you temporary alertness, the crash into a deeper fatigue usually follows.

Contact an Experienced St. Louis Car Accident Attorney Today

Personal injuries and wrongful deaths due to driver fatigue are preventable, but when they do occur you have a right to compensation. The top-rated St. Louis personal injury attorneys at The Cagle Law Firm know the dangers associated with driver fatigue. Whether you were involved in a car or truck accident, or injured as a pedestrian, we can obtain the compensation that you will need. To schedule your free, risk-free personal injury consultation with one of our experienced car crash attorneys, call us today at (314) 276-1681 or contact us online.

Our lawyers have recovered millions on behalf of our injured clients.  Based on our Case Results, we can assist you.

Related Sources:

• St. Louis Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
• St Louis Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
• St Louis Truck Driver Fatigue Lawyer