Preventing Overworking For Commercial Truck Drivers - How A Car Accident Lawyer In Bellflower Can Help

There is an indisputable link between the average working hours of a commercial truck driver and truck accidents. Company owners know that driver fatigue is a genuine threat to road safety. Truck drivers who are forced to drive for long hours, making long-distance trips face a massive risk of accidents if their working hours are not managed properly. Many unions and governmental agencies have strict guidelines regarding safe hours of service for commercial truck drivers. Any company failing to abide by these guidelines regarding hours of service can be legally held liable for any accident that one of their truck driver experiences. Families of the truck driver and other victims of the accident have the option to employ a Car Accident Lawyer in Bellflower to look into the companies' negligence.

Understanding the Concept of Permit table Hours of Service

Commercial truck drivers often operate under intense pressure. Be it meeting deadlines or driving through challenging environmental conditions - their job is extremely challenging. Hence, they deserve not to be subjugated to unsafe working hours. Drivers become more susceptible to committing errors when they drive for consecutive hours without taking a break. A company can team up with a Car Accident Lawyer in Baldwin Park to discuss the legal stipulations regarding permit table hours of service. Although these 'hours of service' stipulations may vary from state to state, there are some common guidelines that all companies that employ commercial truck drivers must follow. Or else, they can be sued by the truck driver - accident or no accident!

What are the Permit table Hours of Service?

Some common stipulations that companies across the country have to follow include - not allowing the driver to drive for more than eleven hours. In case the driver is returning from at least ten hours of rest, he may drive for fourteen hours at most. If the driver hasn't slept in eight hours, he must take a thirty-minute break. The company must ensure that its drivers follow this thirty-minute rest rule. No driver is allowed to drive more than sixty hours in a week. The truck driver may drive for eighty hours in eight days only if he has had at least thirty hours of rest before starting the journey. In case there's an accident, the driver should share the hourly logs with his Car Accident Lawyer in Bellflower.

Vehicles that are Legally Obligated to Follow these Rules

The risk of injuries caused by an accident is worse when the truck driver is transporting an extremely heavy load. Any truck carrying a load weighing more than ten thousand pounds falls under these 'hours of service' stipulations. The same rule applies if the truck is carrying more than nine travelers. Also, there are special safety guidelines for truckers who transport hazardous materials.

Failure to Meet these Stipulations

A failure to meet these 'hours of service' stipulations could result in heavy fines. The company may lose its safety ratings for endangering the lives of its truck drivers. Truck drivers who feel they are overworked must immediately get in touch with an experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Bellflower to pursue legal action against his employers. Visit Here: Braff Injury Law Firm