Causes And Guidelines For Truck Driver Fatigue

An expected 13 percent of truck mischances include a trucker who was excessively exhausted, making it impossible to drive securely. Exhaustion can bring about deferred response times, an absence of attention and snoozing off in the driver's seat. A driver with too little rest might be pretty much as risky as one who is drunk.

Since they drive big vehicles, a drained trucker can suffer from serious injuries if a mischance comes about.

What makes truck driver fatigue?

Drivers are required to keep logbooks showing the amount of time they are on duty. Because some truckers – and some trucking companies – make it a practice to falsify their logbooks, it may be necessary to investigate deeper for evidence that the driver had been on the road too long. Fuel receipts, toll road tickets, cell phone records and electronic dispatching devices are just a few examples of evidence that may be available.

 

Fatigued driving claims may also be brought against trucking companies that employ drivers who break the rules. This is especially true if the trucking company fails to enforce HOS rules or if the trucking company pressures its drivers to work longer than they should.

With an increasing shortage of qualified truckers in the United States, drowsy driving crashes are becoming a serious risk. Hunger for higher profits makes some trucking companies push their drivers beyond the limits of safety. Because they are usually paid by the mile, there is an incentive for truckers to go as far as possible as quickly as possible. All of these factors contribute to the problem of trucker fatigue.

Guidelines: Hours-of-service (HOS) rules

To assist in combatting the problem of truck driver fatigue-related accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented Hours of Service (HOS) regulations.Both commercial trucking companies and drivers are liable to unique guidelines made by FMCSA. These principles set the maximum time that truckers can drive without rest:

 

1. 11-Hour Driving Limit: May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
2. 14-Hour Limit: May not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period.
3. 60/70-Hour On-Duty Limit: May not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.

If the logbook shows that the trucker did not comply with HOS regulations, then this may be taken into consideration when determining cause and liability.

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