Why are truck driver hours of service a thing?

Trucking hours of service require that a commercial driver stop driving and rest at certain defined periods. These rest periods are recorded, logged, and kept with the truck and company the driver works for.

Trucking hours of service (HOS) are in place to protect everyone traveling Louisiana highways. Long hours behind the wheel can compromise a truck driver’s ability to navigate safely, resulting in devastating accidents. If you were injured in a Louisiana truck accident, a Lake Charles truck accident lawyer can help determine if disregard for the trucker’s service hours contributed to the accident.

What are the potential risks of failure to follow truck driver hours of service (HOS)?

Trucking service hours are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), creating a national standard for commercial trucking companies and truck driver HOS rules. The trucking company must report the truck driver’s HOS. The risks associated with a failure to follow HOS rules include fatigue and distracted driving.

Fatigue

Driving an eighteen-wheeler is difficult and requires extra attention. That attention takes energy. As a person’s energy drains, the ability to pay proper attention drains as well, and people get drowsy. Fatigue and drowsiness cause wrecks, and those wrecks can cause severe injury or kill innocent bystanders.

Distracted driving

Just like with fatigue, long hours behind the wheel requires attention. When a person gets tired, their attention wavers, resulting in distracted behaviors such as talking on the phone, texting, eating, or the like. Distracted drivers cause wrecks. And if a distracted driver is hauling 80,000 pounds of material (the weight limit for eighteen wheelers), the effects can be catastrophic for everyone.

Profits and pay push drivers to drive longer and longer to make deliveries faster. The quicker a load gets picked up and delivered, the quicker the next one can be, and that makes everyone more money. Unfortunately, it also puts everyone at risk.

Truck driver HOS rules also establish guidelines for trucking companies and drivers whose profits are based on deliveries, preventing employers from demanding excessive hours of their drivers.

What are truck driver HOS rules?

Some of the current federal laws specifying the hours of service trucking for interstate commerce are as follows:

• Drivers may drive a truck up to 11 hours a day following ten consecutive off-duty hours.
• After fourteen hours on duty, a driver may not operate a truck. These hours are not extended by off-duty time.
• After eight accumulative hours of driving without a 30-minute break, a truck driver must take a 30-minute break.
• A limit of 60 hours of on-duty time can accrue over seven days. And over the course of eight days, on-duty hours are limited to 70 hours.

This is not a complete list of the laws that apply to truck drivers’ hours of service. Regulations may vary for truck drivers who only transport in Louisiana.

Are drivers required to record their hours?

Yes, most drivers must electronically log their truck driver hours of service to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. These logs offer vital evidence in Lake Charles truck accidents.

How can a truck accident lawyer in Lake Charles help me following a truck accident?

At The Johnson Firm, we aim to prove that negligence led to the trucking accident resulting in injuries. Negligence in a trucking accident can be challenging to prove, but we strive to serve our clients by answering vital questions. We may analyze hours of service trucking to:

• Review the truck driver’s HOS to ensure a driver complies with the law
• Review a trucking company’s safety records for evidence of requiring drivers to operate over the legal limits
• Subpoena a truck driver’s driving record to review for a history of accidents

Negligence in a trucking accident and a failure to follow trucking hours of service is not always the driver’s fault. Examining the records allows us to seek the appropriate compensation from the correct entity for damages following a trucking accident.

Speak with an experienced Lake Charles truck accident lawyer

Experience matters when you have been injured in a trucking accident in Louisiana. The Johnson Firm will thoroughly investigate if neglecting truck driver HOS rules contributed to the incident and seek accountability for your injuries. Schedule your free consultation online to discuss your injuries, or call (337) 433-1414.

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