Indiana Hours of Service Rules for Truck Drivers
Truck drivers spend long hours on the highway as they transport goods around the state and across the country. Recognizing the dangers that fatigued long-haul drivers present to other road users, federal trucking industry regulators have implemented rules about how long truck drivers can go without a break.
Hours of service (HOS) rules require truckers to stop driving before they become fatigued and get adequate rest before returning to the road. When truck drivers violate these rules, they put themselves and others at risk of a devastating truck accident.
Why You Need Us for a Truck Crash Case Involving HOS Violations
Truck drivers and trucking companies will work hard to avoid liability for a truck crash caused by a trucker’s hours of service violations. You need a law firm with extensive experience winning truck accident cases to fight back and demand fair compensation.
The legal team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC has a strong track record of success in truck accident cases in Indiana. We know the strategies trucking companies and insurers use to shift blame for accidents and know what it takes to advocate for our clients’ rights and interests. Our firm is ready to work quickly to preserve evidence of HOS violations, including going to court to get protective orders if necessary.
Our attorneys have earned numerous awards and recognitions for the high quality of our legal representation, including:
- Being named to the 10 Best Law Firms by the American Institute of Legal Counsel
- Securing an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a 10.0 Superb rating from Avvo
- Earning membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®
About Federal Hours of Service Regulations
The federal hours of service rules limit the time truckers may spend on duty or behind the wheel to reduce the risks of truck driver fatigue. Hours of service rules state the following:
- Drivers may drive up to 11 hours after spending at least 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- Drivers may not drive after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty following an off-duty period of at least 10 consecutive hours.
- Drivers must take a 30-minute break after eight hours of driving since the driver’s last break or off-duty period. Drivers may spend their break on-duty but not driving, off-duty, or in their sleeper berth.
- Drivers may not drive after spending 60 hours on duty in a seven-day period or 70 hours on duty in an eight-day period. The seven- or eight-day periods reset following an off-duty period of at least 34 consecutive hours.
- Drivers may extend the 11- and 14-hour limits by up to two hours when encountering adverse driving conditions.
HOS rules contain an exemption for short-haul drivers, defined as drivers who operate within a 150-air-mile radius of their work reporting location, spend no more than 14 hours on duty, and return to their work reporting location at the end of their shifts.
Why Truck Drivers Violate HOS Regulations
Unfortunately, despite the strict enforcement of hours of service rules, far too many commercial truck drivers continue to break these crucial safety regulations, often because:
- Commercial drivers may feel a financial incentive to complete their deliveries as quickly as possible.
- Truckers face tight delivery deadlines and need to drive for longer than allowed.
- Drivers may fall behind schedule due to traffic or weather conditions and drive beyond hour limits to get back on schedule.
- Commercial truck drivers lose track of time.
Impact of HOS Non-Compliance on Road Safety in Indiana
Commercial truck drivers who violate the commercial driving limits in Indiana place themselves and other road users at risk of catastrophic accidents. Fatigue or tiredness can have the same effects on a driver as drug or alcohol intoxication, including altering perception, slowing reaction times, and impairing judgment.
Large trucks are difficult to control, and drivers need to plan ahead before making any maneuvers, including braking, lane changes, or turns. A tired truck driver is likelier to misjudge a maneuver, not react in time to an emergency, or engage in careless behaviors like speeding, increasing the chances of a crash or collision.
Legal and Financial Consequences for Violating Hours of Service Rules
There are serious consequences to violating hours of service rules. Law enforcement officers can stop a truck driver and request to see their trucker logbook. If an officer finds that a trucker has exceeded their HOS limits, they can place the truck driver out-of-service, which requires the truck driver and their vehicle to sit on the side of the road until another driver can come to relieve the out-of-service driver or until the driver can meet break or off-duty requirements to return to service.
Truck drivers will also have to pay thousands of dollars in fines, depending on the severity of their violation.
Commercial truck drivers and trucking companies may also face civil liability if the driver causes an accident after exceeding their hours of service limits.
Technology and Tools for Monitoring Hours of Service
Today, federal regulations require truck drivers and trucking companies to install electronic monitoring devices to keep track of a truck driver’s time on duty and behind the wheel. Electronic tracking devices help avoid bookkeeping mistakes by truck drivers and make it harder for trucking companies to alter or destroy hours of service logs, which they might do to avoid liability for an accident.
How Our Law Firm Helps People Harmed by Tired Truckers
You’ll need strong evidence to prove that the truck driver and trucking company caused an accident by violating HOS rules. The experienced truck accident lawyers with Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC can recover and review information like the following:
- Hours of service logs
- Electronic monitoring devices
- Internal company communications
- Eyewitness testimony of the trucker’s activities prior to the accident
Next, our firm will document your injuries and losses to help us pursue maximum compensation for what you’ve suffered due to truck driver fatigue, then negotiate with the trucking company and insurers for a fair settlement. If they won’t offer one, we won’t hesitate to take your case to trial to hold the truck driver and trucking company accountable for what you’ve suffered.
Were you hurt in a truck accident caused by an overly tired driver? Then contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney. We are ready to discuss your best legal options for maximizing compensation.