How Can False Driving Records Lead to Truck Accidents in Colorado?

 Posted on September 19, 2019 in Personal Injury

Most people have records of when they work. Whether this is simply for recordkeeping, or to ensure that employees are properly paid for the hours worked, it is important to keep accurate data. If an hourly employee tried to manipulate his or her time card to make it appear as if he or she was working, the worker may be disciplined or even fired for stealing corporate time. However, when a truck driver records incorrect data and provides false driving records, this can not only affect a company's bottom line, but it can result in safety issues. If a driver falsifies information in order to exceed their allowed number of hours on the road, this can lead to dangerous truck accidents. 

CMV Driving Limits

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are subject to continuous driving limits. A CMV is any type of vehicle that is used for business purposes and meets any one of the following criteria:

• Weighs at least 10,001 pounds

• Can transport up to 16 people, not for compensation, including the driver

• Can transport up to nine people, for compensation, including the driver

• Is carrying quantities of hazardous material that requires a placard 

Hours of Service regulations put strict limits on how long truck drivers can work, as well as their required amount of rest. Once a commercial truck driver starts a shift, he or she can drive up to 11 hours, as long as he or she had 10 hours of consecutive rest beforehand. A trucker may not drive after the 14th consecutive hour of being on duty. If a truck has a sleeper berth, the driver must spend eight hours in the berth, plus two hours of additional off-duty rest. Overall, truck drivers may not be on duty for more than 60 hours in a seven day period or 70 hours in an eight day period. A driving period can restart after 34 consecutive hours off duty. 

These driving regulations were put in place to help eliminate fatigued driving from truck operators. Truck drivers have unusual schedules, and driving without proper rest increases the chance of an auto accident. Being sleepy behind the wheel leads to slower reaction times and poor judgment, and nodding off to sleep for even a couple seconds can cause a major collision. Studies show that going 17 hours without sleep is equivalent to having a 0.05 blood alcohol level. Any level of intoxication or impairment from commercial drivers is unacceptable. 

When truckers do not follow federal regulations for driving times, they are putting others at risk. Providing a false record is lying about driving time, which means an overtired truck driver could be on the road. Any truck driver or trucking company that breaks the law should be held accountable for negligence if it causes an accident. 

Contact a Fort Collins Personal Injury Attorney

Truck accidents can leave devastating effects on people’s lives. When a truck driver is falsifying reports and is overtired, it puts everyone else on the road in danger. If you have been injured by a truck driver or trucking company’s negligence, contact an experienced Larimer County truck accident attorney to discuss your options for pursuing compensation. Call our office today at 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation. 

Sources:

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&ty=HTML&h=L&mc=true&=PART&n=pt49.5.395#sp49.5.395.a

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service

http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/safe-driving/tips-and-tools/fighting-fatigue