Commercial trucking is a growing industry in America, with more tractor-trailers on the roads each year. According to one source, there are currently about 4.06 million 18-wheelers operating in the U.S. as of 2021. With that in mind, keeping commercial truck drivers and other motorists safe is of the utmost importance.[1]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency responsible for overseeing trucking companies and truck operation safety, hence their creation of hours-of-service regulations. Such regulations provide a rules-based system for how many hours a truck operator can drive in a given period. Such rules also provide provisions for mandatory breaks that the truck driver must take to prevent fatigue.
From extensive research and documentation, the FMCSA knows there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between drowsy driving and truck accidents. The incentive behind the hours-of-service regulations was to create a system that reduced driver drowsiness and prevented truck accidents.
Hours-of-service regulations apply to most commercial vehicle operators who transport cargo or passengers. Such individuals include those operating 18-wheeler trucks, delivery trucks, passenger buses, and trains. The hours-of-service regulations vary somewhat across different regions and with different vehicles, but the basic regulations include the following, directly quoted from the FMCSA:[2]
The above rules are the most basic regulations found in the hours-of-service documentation. Unfortunately, the quoted regulations are also the most frequently violated by commercial truckers. When an accident occurs, and the victim(s) of it can prove it was caused by a trucker who violated any or the above regulations, or when a trucker is pressured by their employer to violate regulations and then gets in an accident, all can be grounds for a legal case.
NRS Injury Law is Ohio’s leading injury law firm specializing in trucking accidents. One can read up on how NRS truck accident attorneys approach such cases. If you’ve been involved in such an accident, call NRS Injury law today at 855.468.4878 or fill out our convenient online contact form.
Sources:
[1] Zippia. “Surprising Facts About Trucking.” Zippia, 2022. zippia.com
[2] FMCSA. “Summary of Hours of Service Regulations.” Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 2022. fmcsa.dot.gov