When an exhausted truck driver causes a serious accident in Minnesota, the driver is rarely the only one at fault. Trucking companies have a legal duty to follow safety standards and monitor driver hours. In many cases, these companies share both direct and indirect legal responsibility for crashes caused by fatigue.
How trucking companies share responsibility
Under Minnesota law and federal safety rules, trucking companies can share legal responsibility in two main ways:
- Employer responsibility: Companies are legally responsible for what their employees do while on the clock. If a fatigued driver causes a crash while working within the scope of their employment, the trucking company may be held legally responsible for the resulting harm.
- Direct company responsibility: A company may also bear direct responsibility if its scheduling methods, failure to review driving logs or pressure to skip required rest breaks cause driver fatigue.
Because Minnesota follows federal safety rules, they ban trucking companies from requiring or allowing drivers to drive a commercial truck when they are too fatigued or otherwise unable to drive safely. It limits drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour period after having 10 hours off. When companies pressure drivers to skip these breaks, they could break the law.
Proving corporate responsibility
Proving company responsibility requires acting quickly to save digital and physical evidence. Key evidence in fatigue cases includes digital tracking logs, which record driving time, speed and rest breaks. It also includes dispatch messages and emails showing pressure to meet tight deadlines, as well as safety records like driver background files, medical certificates and past warnings about driving hours.
Protect your rights after a truck crash
Holding a trucking company responsible requires knowing state and federal laws. If you or a loved one was injured, knowing your legal options after a truck crash is an important first step. Knowing what rights may be available can help build a stronger legal claim.