If you are like most people in Missouri, you see the large semi-trucks and tractor-trailers on the state’s roads and highways and share in an appreciation for the contribution they make to local commercial activities. At the same, their massive size also cannot help but make them seem intimidating.
Solace for that concern often comes from the assumption that those driving these vehicles understand the need to remain responsible while at the wheel. Yet just as many of those that we here at the Kelly Law Office, P.C. can attest, that assumption sometimes proves false. An example of this is the issue of fatigue, which if it poses a problem to you and other motorists on the road, you can only imagine how much bigger a problem it may be for truck drivers.
Federal hours-of-service regulations
Federal lawmakers understand this, which is why regulations exist to prevent truck drivers from experiencing fatigue while driving. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, these regulations include:
- Drivers not driving more than 11 hours during an individual work shift
- Drivers not working more than 70/80 hours during a 7/8-day work week
- Drivers not driving more than eight hours without taking a 30-minute break
- Drivers not driving beyond the fourteenth consecutive hour during an individual shift
Did fatigue play a role in your accident?
If you experience a truck accident, how are you to know if fatigue was a factor? The law requires that truck drivers maintain logs detailing their working hours. A review of these logs might prove they were not in compliance with the aforementioned regulations. Not having up-to-date logs could also indicate that a driver has not adhered to these standards.
You can find more information on assigning liability for a truck accident throughout our site.