18-Wheeler Safety Regulations, FMCSA Proposed Changes

CHANGES PROPOSED TO “DAILY” DUTY

The required off-duty period of 10 consecutive hours will not change.
For drivers not otherwise except, the consecutive hours will be reduced from 16 hours consecutive hours down to 14 consecutive hours, a step in the right direction to make sure that sleepy, inattentive 18-wheelers are not out there on our roadways putting others at risk.

The new proposed maximum on-duty within a driving window would reduce consecutive hours from 14-16 down to 13 consecutive hours. Again, another step in the right direction.

Maximum driving within driving window is either going to remain the same at 11 consecutive hours or be reduced down to 10 hours.

Currently there is no limit on consecutive hours of driving but the newly proposed rule will make it so 18-wheelers may drive only if it has been 7 hours or less since last off-duty period of at least 30 minutes. This definitely need to change because currently there is no rule in place to make these drivers take a break, often resulting in inattentive driving which is a result of numerous wrecks that cause serious injury.

CHANGES PROPOSED TO “WEEKLY” DUTY PERIOD
There is currently no proposed change to the maximum on-duty hours of 60 hrs. in 7 days/ 70 hrs. in 8 days.

Currently, there are no limits on “restarts” but a proposed new rule would limit these periods to include:
(1) Must include two periods between Midnight-6 a.m.;
(2) May only be used once per week.
Driver must designate the period being used as a restart.

All of these newly proposed rules are a step in the right direction and I hope the FMCSA will adopt all of these if not further reduce the amount hours truckers are out on the roads continuously. For info on a warning letters click here.

I have sued on many cases involving inattentive 18-wheelers, including one where I have just recently taken a several day deposition where I fought to protect my clients from the 18-wheelers attorney who was trying to trip them up during the grueling ordeal. In this case we had already shown to the company and their attorneys that the defendant driver had violated many of the above regulations and do this immediately on any 18-wheeler case that comes into my office.

If you want the check the safety of a 18-Wheeler Carrier or Driver click here to be directed to the FMCSA/CSA SAFER search.

Please call me call if you have been involved in an 18-wheeler wreck I fight these trucking companies to get you the financial recovery that you deserve.

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