Driver fatigue is an extremely common problem in the trucking industry. A study done by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found fatigued drivers are the #1 cause of truck collisions.
When these tired and overworked truck drivers cause accidents, as you may know, these are not minor accidents. Car drivers and passengers who are in a collision with a truck are very likely to suffer serious life-long injuries or even death.
There are rules in place to prevent these deadly accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours truck drivers can spend on the road per day and per week. Watch the video to learn more.
The law is that truck drivers can work:
- A maximum of 70 hrs. in 8 days if their employer operates every single day of the week. If the employer is closed any day of the week, then truck drivers can work up to 60 hrs. in 7 days.
- Within these 60 or 70 hrs in about a week, truck drivers must only work a maximum of 14 hrs. per day. Only 11 of these 14 hrs. can be behind the wheel. After a truck driver has driven the maximum of 11 hrs., they must rest for 10 hrs. straight before starting work again.
- After working for 8 days or 7 days as per the limit of days that applies to them, truck drivers can only restart work after resting for 34 hrs.
These safety rules were created based on many studies that examined the needs of truck drivers so that they can be alert on the road. They are safety rules that every trucking company should live by to protect us all from danger and mayhem. But many companies force their drivers to skirt these safety rules. Truck companies oftentimes push their drivers to work past the set driving limits in an effort to take shortcuts. This undermines the safety of us all. It creates an environment of fatigued and stressed drivers who are high risks on the road. These exhausted drivers end up injuring not just themselves, but our community members who will suffer more severe and oftentimes irreversible injuries or death.
Truck driver fatigue continues to harm individuals and their families. If you are watching this video because you have your own questions or have a loved one injured due to a fatigued truck driver, you shouldn’t feel alone. Contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW. We are here to answer all your questions and help you navigate through this difficult time.
