Given the devastation that a truck accident can cause, it may be understandable why so many might be quick to try and assign liability. As a motor carrier or freight transportation provider, you and your company may be the target of accusations of negligence in such situations. A common complaint offered by truck drivers after accidents is they have been worked too hard. Therefore, your company then comes under scrutiny for pushing your employees beyond their limits. Many in this position have come to us here at The Law Firm of Connors & Connors, P.C. wondering how to respond to such accusations. The ideal response lies with the driver.
Or at least, it should. Federal law prohibits truck drivers from working past a set number of hours. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, these hours-of-service regulations include:
- Not having a trucker drive more than 11 hours after having been off duty for a period of 10
- Not having a trucker drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour on duty
- Hot having a trucker drive more than eight hours without taking a break
- Not having a trucker drive more than 60/70 hours in a given eight-day work week
Yet with your truck drivers being on the road, how are you to know if they are complying with these regulations? They are required by law to record their working hours to be submitted for review. A truck driver who cannot provide these request upon request may be attempting to cover up errors, omissions or alterations. Your being able to utilize these driving logs for your benefit may help absolve you from liability.
You can learn more about answering liability claims by continuing to browse through our site.