Having an accident with a truck driver on the road can be very serious. There are regulations a trucker driver must follow in order to be within the guidelines of driving safely.
Truck Driver Regulations
There is an agency of the Department of Transportation called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that determines the regulations of commercial drivers.
On September 29th, 2020, the Hours of Service (HOS) for a truck driver changed, and here they are:
- A driver could drive 11 hours if they received ten off hours before moving.
- A truck driver can drive 60 to 70 hours per week with no exceptions. You must take 34 hours off after going 60 to 70 hours before starting a new week.
- Commercial truck drivers can work up to 14 hours; this includes on duty and driving a day.
- Two-hour addition for adverse weather conditions
- A 30-minute break must be taken after the truck driver has driven eight continual hours.
Seven to nine hours of sleep, non-interrupted, is considered healthy. This gives the body time to recuperate from the day and get ready for the next day. Going to sleep in a calm environment and, at the same time, every night adds to good sleep.
Concentration and alertness are the results of healthy sleep. Truck Drivers must get the allotted sleep to drive safely and avoid falling asleep at the wheel.
A truck accident lawyer from Robert J. DeBry & Associates may help solve legal trouble when a truck driver accident occurs. Robert J. DeBry & Associates attorneys have the experience to help settle matters that might be hard to understand or do yourself.