What Regulations Are There to Prevent Miami Truck Accidents?
Large commercial truck drivers are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Commission (FMCSA) to follow several regulations to avoid Miami truck accidents. These regulations are put in place by the FMCSA to prevent fatal accidents caused by driver fatigue and driver distraction due to being on the road too long. The regulations are referred to as “Hours of Service” and limit the amount of time truck drivers are allowed to be on duty, as well as how long they must rest before beginning another trip. These regulations include:
- Truck drivers may not remain on duty more than 14 hours at a time, and may only drive for 11 of those hours.
- After a truck driver reaches their hour limit, they must rest for at least 10 consecutive hours before resuming a trip.
- Drivers may only be on duty 60 hours during a 7-day period, or 70 hours during an 8-day period.
- After this 7 or 8-day period, drivers must stay off-duty for 34 hours before resuming a trip.
- Truck drivers may also never reach a blood-alcohol content of 0.04 or greater. For other drivers, the legal limit is 0.08. Truck drivers must undergo regular drug and alcohol testing. Truck drivers hauling hazardous materials may have additional safety regulations.
When truck drivers disregard regulations and stay on the road for extended and illegal periods of time, they may experience driver fatigue, which can cause serious accidents. Truck drivers who fall asleep at the wheel deserve to be held responsible for the accidents they cause. If you have been injured by a negligent truck driver in a Florida truck accident, our injury attorneys can help you seek compensation. Contact us today to learn more about your rights after a truck accident.
