The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the trucking industry to help ensure safety. One type of regulation is hours of service which places certain limits on the amount of time truck drivers can drive and attempts to limit truck driver fatigue. A new rule is using improved technology to strengthen compliance with hours-of-service regulations to help prevent fatigue. Electronic logging devices will now be used to record hours of service and are expected to reduce industry costs associated with paperwork in addition to improving safety.
Electronic logging devices are expected, on average, to avoid 26 fatalities and 562 injuries that result from large commercial vehicle accidents annually. Electronic logging devices automatically record driving hours and also monitor engine hours, vehicle movement, location and miles driven. In the past, it has been difficult to verify hours logged in log books and determine when truck driver behaviors may be violating federal laws and placing the public at risk.
Federal safety regulations are in place that limit the hours truck drivers can be on duty and still drive and limit the number of hours spent driving. Truck drivers are also required to have a sufficient off-duty rest period before they return to on-duty status. Electronic logging devices must be adopted within two years of the new final rule. There are a variety of different protections in place to help keep the public safe from the dangers of large trucks. When a truck accident victim has been injured by a negligent truck driver, such as a fatigued truck driver, or a negligent trucking company, legal resources are available to help victims recover compensation for their damages.
Truck accidents can have a dramatic impact on the lives of victims and their families. For that reason, it is important for victims and their families to be familiar with the resources available to help them when harmed.
Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Electronic Logging Devices to be Required Across Commercial Truck and Bus Industries,” Dec. 10, 2015