It’s a fact that truck drivers are more prone to traffic collisions because they spend long hours on the roads, have tight deadlines and face pressure to get to their final destinations faster. Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does have an hours of service schedule that all commercial drivers need to obey. This was created in part to help reduce the total number of hours drivers would be on the roads.
Did you know that drivers of commercial motor vehicles with cargo are limited to 11 hours behind the wheel? On top of that, they may only drive for that long if they’ve been off duty for at least 10 hours. In total, drivers may never work (including driving) longer than 14 hours.
Unfortunately, some people do ignore these requirements or try to manipulate their books to act as if they’ve been driving less than they have. This is dangerous for more than one reason, and it’s completely unethical. By driving longer than the set standard, drivers put themselves and others at a higher risk of being involved in a collision, getting hurt or being killed.
Drowsy driving is also an issue that these drivers face. Drivers may not react to stimuli as quickly as they would have if they had enough sleep. They may have worse judgment than usual and have impaired cognition. It’s essential that they pull over if they’re tired because not doing so could lead to serious crashes and victims who suffer the devastating consequences.
Truck drivers know the rules, but they don’t always follow them. If you’re hurt by someone who didn’t follow the FMCSA’s regulations, you may want to file a case and seek compensation.