When an 80,000-pound truck barrels into your vehicle, the aftermath can be devastating. What you might not realize is that the driver behind the wheel could have been fighting exhaustion, pushed beyond safe limits by demanding schedules and tight deadlines.
Hours of service regulations help prevent fatigued drivers from operating dangerous vehicles on public roads, but when they are ignored, the consequences can be fatal.
If you’ve been injured in a collision with a fatigued truck driver, you deserve to know whether federal regulations were broken and how that violation contributed to your crash. Work with a Knoxville truck accident lawyer to understand your options.
What Are the Federal Hours of Service Regulations?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces strict hours of service (HOS) regulations that limit how long commercial truck drivers can operate their vehicles without rest. These rules establish an 11-hour maximum driving limit following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Drivers also face a 14-hour window—once they come on duty, they cannot drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour, regardless of breaks taken during that period. Additionally, drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
The regulations also impose weekly limits: drivers cannot exceed 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours in 8 consecutive days. After reaching these limits, they must take at least 34 consecutive hours off duty before restarting their cycle.
Why Do These Hours of Service Rules Exist?
These regulations exist for one fundamental reason: truck driver fatigue kills. Exhausted drivers experience slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and decreased awareness.
These conditions are catastrophic when the driver is in control of a vehicle weighing tens of thousands of pounds. Without these protections, trucking companies could push drivers to the brink of collapse in pursuit of faster deliveries and higher profits, turning highways into danger zones for everyone sharing the road.
Common Hours of Service Violations by Truckers
Despite clear regulations, violations remain widespread throughout the trucking industry. Some drivers falsify logbooks or tamper with electronic logging devices to hide extra hours behind the wheel. Others face pressure from carriers to meet unrealistic delivery schedules, leading them to skip required breaks or continue driving past legal limits.
Certain companies create cultures where drivers feel they must choose between their paycheck and compliance with safety rules. These violations often come to light only after a serious accident prompts investigators to examine driving records and electronic data.
What to Do When Driver Fatigue Leads to Serious Accidents
After a crash with a commercial truck, your immediate priority is safety and health. Call 911 right away so emergency responders can assess injuries and document the scene. Seek medical care as soon as possible.
If you are able, take photos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and any visible details about the truck, including company information and DOT numbers. Most importantly, contact an attorney who focuses on trucking accidents right away.
If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident caused by hours-of-service violations, you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. A Tennessee truck accident attorney can investigate whether driver fatigue or regulatory violations contributed to your crash, gathering critical evidence like logbooks, electronic logging device data, and company records that might otherwise disappear.
Contact a truck accident attorney at The Lawyers of Brown & Roberto today to protect your rights.