Truck Driver Fatigue / Hours-of-Service Rules

Large trucks haul the majority of freight transported in the U.S. It is almost a trillion dollar industry, and is expected to surpass the one trillion dollar mark in the next year or two.  This makes for a strong financial motive for truckers to drive longer hours with shorter breaks.

But there are more than financial incentives that encourage truckers to drive longer hours. A trucker may “push through” to avoid rush hour traffic snarls, be anxious to get home for the weekend, or try to make up for time lost due to bad weather. On average, a trucker drives 125,000 miles a year. Truck drivers must maintain daily logs of their route and drive time.

With the increasing number of trucks on our roads, and based upon the number of fatal accidents involving 18 wheelers and semi-trucks, truck driver fatigue is a public safety issue. When driving excessive weekly and daily work hours, commercial drivers significantly increase the risk of a truck crash or highway accident that may result in serious accident injury or wrongful death.

• Here is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Truck Driver's Guide to Hours of Service.

Truck drivers are generally allowed to drive 11 hours in a 24 hour period.  They are required to have ten consecutive hours off-duty to qualify for a new work period.

As mentioned, the FMCSA requires that truckers maintain logs and retain expense receipts and other paperwork which track their hours of service. In a truck accident lawsuit, we obtain these driver logs as part of our investigation.

If you or a loved one has been in an accident involving a commercial truck, semi-truck, or 18-wheeler, then consult with a truck accident attorney.

Please contact us, by confidential email, online chat, or by phone, and you will speak to one of our accident lawyers who will discuss your situation, your needs, your values, and work toward securing justice through your truck accident lawsuit.

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