By Following Rules Truck Drivers Save Lives

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for regulating trucking companies in the United States. This authority works to improve the road safety, by making efforts to reduce the number of crashes. FMCSA manages rules and regulations related to the commercial motor vehicles including trucks.

FMCSA has Hours of Service (HOS) regulations that every truck (or any other commercial motor vehicle) driver has to follow. The latest HOS Final Rule overhaul was February 27, 2012. Few changes were made in the regulations in 2013. Some rules for property carrying and passenger carrying vehicles are different, while there are other few that are same for both.

Regulations for work timings for truck drivers are –

• They cannot drive for more than 11 hours per day.
• They can be on duty for only 14 hours per day. They can resume work after spending 10 consecutive hours off duty.
• They can work for a maximum of 70 hours in a week.

Previously, the maximum limit was 82 hours in an average workweek, but it was changed in July 2013.

Regulations about rests & breaks are –

• It is also necessary for drivers to take a 30-minutes break in the first 8 hours of their shift.
• For working more than 70 hours in a week, they must rest for 34 consecutive hours. It includes rest of at least two nights according to their body clock (1 a.m. to 5 a.m.).

Regulations about on duty time–

• It does not include the time that driver uses for resting in a parked truck.

Before the new provisions, on duty time included any time spent in the vehicle, excluding sleeper berth.

Regulations about penalties–

• Penalties are applied on drivers if they drive more than 3 hours after passing their driving limit. Allowing someone else to drive may also give rise to a penalty.

Regulations about oilfield exemptions–

• At oilfields, waiting time for drivers should be noted as off duty on a logbook.

In case of an accident, if the truck accident attorney of the victim proves that the driver was not following the given regulations, it may go against the driver and the company.  The problem is that the companies try to make drivers work over the maximum amount of hours to add to profits, but in turn creates a more dangerous environment,