Champaign Hours of Service Violation Lawyers

Truck drivers are especially susceptible to fatigue due to the extremely long hours they often work. To help limit the threat that fatigued truck drivers will cause accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration carefully restricts the hours of service (HOS) of truck operators. These restrictions primarily limit the consecutive hours a driver can be on duty and driving, as well as mandating periods of rest between shifts.

When trucking companies are lax in record keeping and enforcement of HOS regulations drivers can more easily bend the rules to make deliveries faster and with less fuel. But while this benefits the company, it increases the likelihood of a collision which may harm others. If you have been involved in a truck accident, a Champaign Hours of Service Violation Attorneys of Spiros Law, P.C. can help you to determine whether HOS violations played a role.

What Hours of Service Regulations Are There?

HOS regulations are strictly enforced in order to help ensure highway safety. The following are a few of the restrictions in place for truck drivers:

• A driver may operate a vehicle for only 11 hours after having spent 10 consecutive hours off duty.
• A driver cannot drive for more than 14 consecutive hours after a 10 hour off duty period, with no extension granted for additional off duty time taken.
• In a 7 day period a driver cannot drive more than 60 hours. In an 8 day period a driver cannot drive more than 70 hours. These time periods can begin again after 34 consecutive hours are spent off duty.
• Drivers utilizing a sleeper berth must spend a minimum of 8 hours consecutively in the sleeper berth and then must also spend 2 additional hours, consecutively, either in the berth or off duty.

In addition, meticulous records of driver hours must be kept by the trucking company in order to prove compliance.

Contact Us

Driver fatigue and drug use combined account for almost 60% of trucking accidents, each of which can be a result of hours of service violations. As the victim of an accident caused by this negligent behavior, you may be able to pursue financial compensation. Contact the Champaign Hours of Service Violation lawyers of Spiros Law, P.C. at 217-328-2828 to discuss your case.