Researchers found that truck driver fatigue was implicated in 13% of the crashes between trucks and other vehicles. This is disheartening because collisions between trucks and other vehicles cause much more catastrophic injuries than crashes between two vehicles of roughly the same size. When a truck is fully loaded, it weighs 25 times more than the average car or sports utility vehicle. The industry created the Hours of Service Regulations to protect the public from these types of devastating crashes and injuries.
The Hours-of-Service Regulations
- A truck driver may drive for 11 hours. Before he or she can do this, they must have had a 10-hour break.
- Truck drivers may drive for 14 consecutive hours after a 10-hour break. The time that they were off the clock does not extend the 14-hour time period.
- If a truck driver has been driving for eight consecutive hours, they must take a 30-minute break. That is, unless they had a 30-minute break during eight hours of driving. They may spend 30 minutes not driving while they are still on duty, off-duty, in the sleeper berth, or a combination of these if they are consecutive.
- If they have been driving for 60 or 70 hours in seven or eight consecutive days, they are not allowed to drive any further. To continue their journey, they must not drive for 34 or more consecutive hours. At the end of this time, they may begin another seven- or eight-day journey.
- Drivers may split the time spent during their 10-hour breaks. They must spend at least seven consecutive hours in the sleeper berth. They are also free to spend the additional two hours in or outside of the sleeper berth. The time that they spend in the sleeper berth must add up to at least 10 hours.
- When driving conditions are adverse, they are allowed to drive an extra two hours. They are also allowed an extra two hours while driving in adverse weather conditions during their 14-hour driving windows.
Truck Drivers Are Required to Follow the Hours-of-Service Regulations
Commercial drivers must follow the Hours of Service Regulations as well as all requirements of the Department of Transportation. This includes the majority of commercial drivers who drive in the United States.
Violating the Hours-of-Service Regulations
- Truck drivers often violate the hours-of-service regulations. For example, they are only allowed to drive a maximum of 14 work hours per day, but a common violation is working longer.
- Many truck drivers also neglect to take a 30-minute break during the eight-hour window.
- It is also common for truck drivers to drive longer than 11 hours within their 14-hour time schedules.
- Unfortunately, many truck drivers believe that they can deceive their bosses by incorrectly logging their hours and falsifying the HOS or hours of service records. This action results in steep penalties.
- Many fail to use the approved Electronic Logging Device or ELD of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the correct manner.
The Hours-of-Service Regulations Make the Roads Safer
Truck accidents can lead to serious injury, destruction of property and even fatalities. One particularly dangerous stretch of Highway 101 in Los Angeles county saw 65 serious truck accidents in 2023. The Hours-of-Service Regulations address the fact that drivers remain on the roads too long and that this is the reason for many deadly collisions. Providing time for truck drivers to receive adequate rest reduces the possibility of fatigue causing fatal errors on the roads.
Rested truck drivers are also less likely to drive aggressively because this is the result of being fatigued. Because they are tired, they may make reckless decisions as a way to complete their trips as quickly as possible. This only causes them to drive in a more dangerous manner. With the Hours-of-Service Regulations in place, truck drivers are well-rested and not likely to behave aggressively.
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