Hours of Service Rules

In the State of Florida and other states, commercial truck drivers are subject to rules, regulations, and standards as to driving time and rest / sleeping time. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the government agency charged with the mission to prevent and reduce the number of crashes / accidents involving commercial vehicles. The FMCSA estimates that impaired driving which includes accidents related to drowsiness, fatigue, and sleep deprivation account for more than 12% of the truck related accidents across the nation.

Based in Jacksonville, Florida truck accident attorney David Wolf has represented individuals against insurance companies, big businesses, and trucking companies for over 30 years. David Wolf firmly believes in Giving a Voice to Injury Victims and Their Families. He is the author of 12 books including the book titled - Big Trucks - Big Problems - When a Truck Driver Wrecks Your Day and Life - Legal Rights of the Injury Victim and Family. This book has chapters on Florida Truck Driving - Rules of the Road, Safety, Negligence, and Crashes, Medical Treatment and Follow Up, and other topics. You can read more about this book which is available for free at Big Trucks - Big Problems.

A common question or issue that arises in truck accident cases involves the alertness and driving time of the truck driver involved in the crash. The current rules and regulations for Hours of Service otherwise referenced as HOS were passed in July 2013. Unlike college students who may pull all-nighters and go without sleep at times, a commercial truck driver is limited to a maximum of 11 hours at a time of driving after having 10 off duty hours. Furthermore, a truck driver cannot drive beyond a 14 hour limit without going off duty.

There are also weekly limitations or limits for Hours of Service which include the limit of 60 hours of service in 7 consecutive days and 70 hours of service in 8 consecutive days. There are a number of other regulations as well.

Drivers are required to document their drive time or Hours of Service and rest time or off duty time in a log book. Unfortunately, many truck drivers and companies do not report honestly in the log books and the information is falsified. Many trucks these days are tracked by GPS and companies keep electronic logs of the Hours of Service (HOS); however, there are still a large number of truck driver and companies that stand by pen and paper to log in their Hours of Service and these log books are subject to change, revision, and, unfortunately, fabrication as to drive time and rest time.

When evaluating a log book, documents and information can be reviewed to determine the validity and accuracy of the log books including but not limited to analysis of the following:

• Credit card and debit receipts for purchases of food, fuel, and other items;
• Turnpike and toll road tickets and charges including Sun Pass charges in Florida; and
• Videotape surveillance and footage from toll areas and street cameras.

If you or a family member suffered a personal injury as a result of truck accident or car accident, contact Florida truck accident attorney David Wolf for a free consultation. He is available days, nights, weekends, and holidays for the consultation. He prides himself on the attention he provides to each client. Call David Wolf right now and see the difference he can make for you as you deal with the issues and challenges of a personal injury case or claim. Call or text David Wolf at (904) 500-9653 or e-mail David Wolf. Get D Wolf On Your Side - At Your Side.