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One major problem with paying truckers by the mile

| Nov 3, 2021 | Personal Injury |

Truck drivers earn their living by making deliveries, but they are usually not paid for the number of deliveries or completing the overall task. Instead, they are paid based on the number of miles they cover. The typical pay rate runs from 27 cents to 40 cents for each mile. 

This is great for trucking companies. If a shipment gets delayed in traffic, they don’t have to pay for an hour that the driver spends in a traffic jam. That’s less than ideal for the driver, though, and it can cause some serious risks on the road. 

Will drivers rush to make more money? 

The problem is that the pay rate is tied directly to the driver’s production, so they can earn more simply by covering more miles. This could influence a driver to break the speed limit. If they’re driving through a residential area with a 25-mile-per-hour limit, they clearly want to get back to the interstate so they can drive 65. They may be more willing to speed through that residential zone, endangering other drivers, pedestrians, children and cyclists. 

Additionally, drivers may decide to earn more by driving for more hours than they can legally do. They can cause fatigued driving, which also leads to accidents. Drivers have regulations they’re supposed to follow, but they may be tempted to lie to get around them and make more money. 

Have you been injured?

If you have been seriously injured in an accident with a truck driver, you must understand all of the legal options you have to seek compensation.