Delaware Injury Law Blog

No Delaware worker wants to end up injured as a result of work-related duties. Of course, you and any other worker could suffer injuries in almost any line of work. If you are involved in an on-the-job accident that leaves you injured, you may have numerous questions about what will happen next.

Your first priority should be to receive medical attention for any injuries you suffered. You may balk at the idea of going to the hospital at first because such visits can be costly, even with insurance, but receiving treatment is in your best interests. Fortunately, when it comes to handling the costs of that treatment, workers' compensation may be able to help.

Delaware truck drivers are the behind the wheel of vehicles that are larger and heavier than other types of vehicles on the road. It is important for these men and women to be cautious and careful, as even one small mistake can result in truck accidents with terrible consequences. While human error is the reason for many of these types of collisions, some medical conditions may also be to blame.

Sleep apnea is a fairly common disorder that can impact how a person sleeps, which in turn leads to fatigue and the potential for other medical complications. A recent study looked at sleep apnea and what it could mean for the trucking industry. Ultimately, it is very dangerous for truck drivers if left undiagnosed or untreated.

Earlier this year, a trucking safety advocacy group requested that the federal government require tractor-trailers to use speed restrictors. That request was recently acted upon by two senators, one of whom represents Delaware, who have introduced the bill to Congress. It is hoped that speed restictors will reduce serious truck accidents.  

The Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019, calls for all new trucks 26,000 pounds or larger,  to be equipped with speed restrictors set to 65-mph. The bill does not require that the devices be retroactive to older vehicles. Several of the major carriers in the country, such as Knight-Swift and J.B. Hunt, support the measure and the Trucking Alliance director expressed confidence that the bill could reduce deadly crashes, which resulted in an estimated 140,000 victims either injured or killed in 2018.

One of the main reasons that traffic accidents happen is because drivers are not paying attention or they make a mistake while behind the wheel. One type of behavior that could impact the rate of auto accidents is zombie driving, which happens when a driver arrives at his or her destination with no recollection of what happened on the way there. When polled, over half of all drivers say they often feel like they are on autopilot when behind the wheel.

Other drivers admit to zoning out while they are behind the wheel, even multiple times per week. These numbers could indicate a rise in a troubling trend of tired or inattentive driving. In many cases, the things that cause Delaware drivers to do this are driving on familiar roads, having a lot of things on their minds and driving while tired. Cognitive distraction, which is mental distraction, can be just as dangerous as texting or scrolling social media while behind the wheel.