Blog Topic

Truck Driver fatigue
March 04, 2010

While we are on the subjects of truck drivers, I'd like to touch on one of the hottest topics regarding trucking accidents right now: truck driver fatigue. Truckers are often pushed to drive beyond physical as well as legal limits. They are forced by employers or those who hired them to push forward instead of letting them stop for much needed rest. Big-rig or eighteen wheeler drivers, in order to get paid, will often ignore hours-in-service regulations. In doing so, they risk catastrophic injury to themselves and others on the roadway.

In an effort to combat dangerous sleep deprivation, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) strictly regulates the amount of time truck drivers spend their workday driving, or "on-duty." Drivers are limited to 60 hours of compensated work in a seven-day period, or 70 hours in an eight-day period.

Under the current rules, truck drivers can be driving on the road for 11 hours each shift, up to 70 hours per week. Even then, that's a lot of hours to be behind the wheel of a truck.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a truck driver for any reason at all, but especially if you think he was fatigued or impaired due to alcohol or drugs, please give us a call at 1-800-738-4046 and tell us about it. We'll be glad to set up a free initial consultation.

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