Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

There are approximately 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States. Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service:

• Truck drivers can only drive for up to 11 hours at time.

• They can operate a truck for no more than 14 hours a day.

• Truck drivers have to spent 10 hours resting in between their shifts before they can drive again.

• Truckers cannot drive a truck if they’ve worked over 60 hours in a week.

• Drivers that spend at least 34 hours resting can reset their work schedule for the week.

Most truckers who operate a commercial motor vehicle have to abide by these rules.

A truck driver who falls asleep or can’t focus on the road can be a dangerous person to come up against in a Chicago truck collision—especially if the truck that the trucker is operating is a semi-truck, and 18-wheeler truck, a tractor-trailer, or another large truck. Unfortunately, driving long hours can make truck drivers who are tired more prone to falling asleep behind the wheel and even the most dedicated and experienced truck driver can become a liable driver if someone gets hurt or dies because the trucker accidentally causes a catastrophic large truck crash.

If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a Chicago truck crash, it is important that you retain the services of a Chicago truck accident law firm that has a successful track record when it comes to helping truck accident victims recover their losses.

Steps that truck drivers can take to avoid drowsy driving:

• Get plenty of rest.

• Take regular brakes.

• Don’t drink before driving.

• Make sure that you aren’t taking medications that can make you drowsy.

• Get tested to make sure that you don’t suffer from sleep apnea or another kind of sleeping disorder.

Final Rule, Hours of Service, FMCSA November 19, 2008 (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Drowsing Driving, AAAFoundation.org

Obesity Linked to Dangerous Sleep Apnea in Truck Drivers, Science Daily, March 12, 2009