How Long Can Truck Drivers Drive Without Resting?

How Long Can Truck Drivers Drive Without Resting? Studies suggest that 30 to 40 percent of all truck accidents result from driver fatigue. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving contributes to more than 50,000 accidents per year, resulting in serious injury and death.

Knowing how unsafe drowsy driving can be, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has created regulations commercial truck drivers must follow for how many consecutive hours they can be behind the wheel before needing a break.

Hours of Service Rules for Truck Drivers

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has created hours of service regulations (HOS) for both property-carrying and passenger-carrying drivers. These rules are meant to protect truck drivers from overwork while also limiting adverse driving conditions for other motor vehicles.

It’s important to understand that drivers do not have set hours like we may have in a 9-to-5 job setting. Instead, drivers must follow the total number of hours they spend behind the wheel, regardless of the time of day they begin.

Time Limits for Truck Drivers

Commercial drivers are subject to two key time limits.

First, they can drive for a maximum of 11 hours, but only after taking 10 consecutive hours off duty. This ensures drivers are well-rested before beginning a long stretch behind the wheel.
Second, a driver’s entire workday cannot exceed 14 hours, starting when they come on duty after their 10-hour off-duty period. This 14-hour window includes all work activities, both driving and non-driving tasks. Once 14 hours have elapsed, the driver must stop driving, even if they haven’t reached the 11-hour driving limit. Any off-duty time taken during this period doesn’t extend the 14-hour limit.

If a driver uses less than 11 hours for driving, they can use the remaining time (up to 3 hours) for breaks or other work-related tasks.

30-Minute Break Requirement

Drivers are required to take a 30-minute break when they have driven for a period of 8 cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute interruption.

The break can be any non-driving period of 30 consecutive minutes.

Let’s look at a sample day. If a driver starts his day at 5 a.m., he can drive for eight hours, meaning he must take a break at 1 p.m. for at least 30 minutes. He then can return to the road at 1:30 p.m. and drive for another three hours. But, he is likely to take another break for a meal or rest stop. So, let’s say he drives until 3:30 p.m. to stop for dinner. It takes him an hour and a half, putting him back on the road at 5 p.m. He can drive for another hour, getting him to 6 p.m. From there, he only has until 7 p.m. to complete non-driving activities before he’s met his 14-hour day.

60/70-Hour Weekly Limit

Drivers may only drive 60 hours in seven days or 70 hours in eight days consecutively. This 7/8 consecutive day restarts after taking 34 consecutive hours or more off duty. However, a driver can switch which schedule they follow.

Sleeper Berth

Under the sleeper berth provision, drivers may split their required 10-hour off-duty period into two periods, as long as one is at least 2 hours long and the other involves at least 7 consecutive hours spent in the sleeper berth.

Adverse Conditions

In adverse driving conditions, drivers can extend the 11-hour maximum and 14-hour driving window by two hours. Under the regulation, adverse conditions may include bad weather like snow, sleet, ice, fog, or other dangerous weather conditions. Similarly, the extension can apply if there are unusual road or traffic conditions.

150 Air-Mile Exceptions

There is an exception to these regulations for short-haul drivers who operate within a 150 air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location, so long as the driver does not exceed a maximum duty period of 14 hours.

How Do Truck Drivers Log Their Hours?

Commercial truck drivers utilize electronic logging devices (ELDs) to log their hours of service and on-duty times. In addition to time spent behind the wheel, these logs utilize GPS technology to track engine hours, miles driven, and location information. This is beneficial for several reasons: it ensures drivers are following hours of service rules. If the commercial motor vehicle is involved in an accident, it can tell what went wrong.

Identifying Hours of Service Violations

Unfortunately, violating the number of hours a driver can be on duty in a seven or eight-consecutive-day period is all too common. These hours of service regulations are meant to protect commercial drivers and other road users alike. Yet, many professional drivers may feel pressure from the trucking company to work outside these limitations.

Common hours of service violations include:

Driving outside of the 11-hour driving limit in a 14-hour window.
Exceeding the 14-hour limit by working more than 60 hours in a seven-day period or 70 hours in an eight-day period.
Incorrectly logging duty status.
Falsifying log records.

The Department of Transportation DOT truck driver rules ensure driver safety and keep trucking companies in check. But when these rules are not followed, the chance of accidents increases.

Hours of Service Violations Cause Accidents

When an exhausted trucker is made to work outside of their permitted hours per day, fatal truck crashes can occur. Hours of service violations can cause:

Truck driver fatigue
Increased risk of negligent driving like speeding
Drivers to rely on drugs or alcohol to stay alert, diminishing their reaction time

If you were involved in an accident with a trucker who exceeded their hours of driving time, call the experienced truck accident lawyers of Munley Law. We take HOS rules seriously to keep motorists safe.

Munley Law Truck Accident Attorneys Represent Victims of Drowsy Driving Accidents

If you or a loved one were involved in a motor vehicle accident with a commercial truck driver, you have options for financial recovery. If it is proven that the driver was working outside of federal regulations, they could be found liable for your accident and resulting injuries.

At Munley Law, we represent victims of auto accidents involving semi-truck drivers. With a record of securing multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts, we’ll put our experience to the test for your claim.