Federal Laws About Fatigued Alabama Truck Drivers
Truck drivers play a crucial role in keeping goods moving across Alabama and the rest of the country. However, the demands of the job often lead to long hours behind the wheel, and fatigue is one of the most common dangers in the trucking industry.
To reduce the risk of truck accidents, federal law sets strict rules for how many hours a commercial driver can operate without rest. Learning how these rules work is important if you have been involved in a crash with a large truck in Alabama.
Knowing how federal regulations work can also shed light on whether a driver or trucking company may be held liable for violating them.
Hours-of-Service Rules
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency that oversees trucking safety across the United States. One of its most important responsibilities is enforcing hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. These rules are designed to make sure that drivers get enough rest before they operate vehicles weighing thousands of pounds.
Under current federal law:
- Truck drivers carrying goods can drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- They may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. Off-duty time does not extend this period.
- Drivers must take a 30-minute break if they have been driving for eight cumulative hours without interruption.
- In a 7-day work period, drivers cannot drive more than 60 hours. In an 8-day period, they cannot exceed 70 hours.
Drivers must keep electronic or written logbooks that document their hours. These records are often key evidence after a truck accident, as they can show whether a driver was on the road longer than allowed.
Why Is Fatigued Driving So Dangerous?
Fatigue can impair a driver’s ability to focus and react quickly. Studies show that being awake for more than 18 hours can create impairments similar to having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%. After 24 hours without sleep, the effect is closer to a BAC of 0.10%, which is higher than the legal limit for drunk driving.
For truck drivers in Alabama, fatigue is especially concerning because large trucks already require longer stopping distances. When you add in delayed reaction times from exhaustion, the risk of catastrophic accidents increases dramatically.
How Federal Rules Affect Alabama Truck Accident Claims
If you are injured in a crash involving a commercial truck, the driver’s logbooks and records may reveal violations of federal law. When a driver or trucking company breaks HOS rules, it can be strong evidence of negligence in a personal injury lawsuit.
For example, if a driver exceeded the 11-hour daily limit and then caused a wreck, the violation could help prove liability. In some cases, the trucking company may also be held accountable if it pressured the driver to ignore the law or failed to monitor compliance.
Common Signs of Driver Fatigue To Watch Out For
While every case is different, accidents involving fatigued drivers often share similar warning signs. These can include things like:
- Swerving between lanes
- Inconsistent speeds
- Slow reaction to traffic signals
- Failing to keep a safe distance from other vehicles
- Rear-end collisions or running off the road
These behaviors may seem minor at first. However, when an 80,000-pound truck is involved, seemingly small mistakes can still cause devastating harm.
Contact an Alabama Truck Accident Lawyer for Help Recovering Compensation
Fatigued truck drivers are a danger to everyone on Alabama’s highways, and federal laws are in place to reduce that risk. Unfortunately, violations still happen, and the results can be life-changing for accident victims. If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash, reviewing whether the driver followed hours-of-service rules may play a central role in your case.
Contact Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more about your legal options and get started with a free consultation with a Birmingham truck accident lawyer.
We serve Shelby County, Madison County, Montgomery County in Alabama, and its surrounding areas. We are located in Birmingham, Huntsville & Montgomery.
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Birmingham, AL 35213
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