Why Oilfield Truck Accidents are So Common

TYLER and LONGVIEW, Texas. Oilfield workers put in long shifts. To make matters worse, sometimes oilfield workers may be required to drive trucks at the end of their shifts, meaning that they might be getting behind the wheel when they are at the greatest risk of being tired. According to the New York Times, some oilfield workers were instructed to drive trucks after putting in incredibly long shifts (in one case, the worker had been on the job for 17 hours). Commercial truck drivers are required to abide by strict hours of service laws that limit how long they can work. However, oilfield workers may not be classified as truck drivers, allowing companies to bypass these rules. When fatigued drivers get behind the wheel, the result is often the same—car accidents, injuries, and death.

The Times reports that in a single year, as many as 300 oilfield workers have died in truck accidents and highway crashes. Oil field truck drivers are not subject to the same hours of service laws that commercial truck drivers are required to obey. Yet, many critics believe that a person’s designation as an oilfield worker should not exempt them from hours of service laws.

According to the Journal of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, long work hours, fatigue, and exhaustion are known to contribute to errors. In fact, exhaustion and sleepiness can impact cognition and ability to perform tasks in the same way that drinking can. In fact, in some studies, individuals who were sleep deprived performed on tasks similarly to people with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1%, which is over the legal limit.

Oilfield trucks don’t just operate on the oilfield. These trucks may operate on public roads where the truck drivers operate these vehicles around other passenger vehicles. When a fatigued oilfield truck driver makes a critical error behind the wheel, or falls asleep behind the wheel, the consequences can be severe. Passenger vehicle occupants can be seriously injured or killed.

Given the low levels of regulation in the oilfield industry, corners can be cut. Workers may do drugs without their employers knowing. Employers may not take measures required to protect worker safety and the safety of the general public. Regulating the industry is also difficult because companies are not required to tell oversight boards when a truck accident takes place. While commercial truckers are required to keep their trucks in working order and perform regular maintenance, oilfield trucks are not always required to abide by these same strict requirements.

When companies cut corners, force drivers to work long shifts, or fail to perform required maintenance, the consequences can be serious. The Cooper Law Firm are personal injury attorneys in Tyler and Longview, Texas who work with victims and families who have been hurt in truck accidents. Our firm can help you seek the damages you may deserve, and pursue companies for negligence when they fail to protect workers or the public. When companies cut corners, victims may have the right to fight back and seek justice. Visit the Cooper Law Firm today to learn more about your rights.

Cooper Law Firm

501 N Third St,

Longview, TX 75601

Telephone: (903) 297-0037