Unrealistic Truck Driver Schedules

In Phoenix, Arizona and Taking Cases Nationwide

As more and more 18-wheelers appear on our roads and highways, smaller vehicles are in increased danger. The disparity in size and weight between a big truck and most passenger vehicles is enormous, putting the rest of the traffic at a disadvantage should an accident occur. Our truck accident lawyers at Snyder & Wenner, P.C. have a great deal of experience in fighting for compensation for people injured in truck accidents.

Truck drivers are required by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to keep a log of their meal breaks, rest stops, arrival times and so on. Most drivers do this responsibly. Most also keep a watchful eye on their cargo's stability, on the surrounding traffic, all road signs, and road conditions. Most of the time, accidents do not occur.

But when they do occur, one of the reasons is unrealistic scheduling. Responsible driver schedules should take delay factors into account, such as dangerous weather and high traffic areas. When a trucking company's profits depend on how quickly its drivers can deliver cargo, owners or managers may impose stressful or difficult time expectations on their drivers. Although there are legally mandated safety protocols, drivers may feel pressured to speed, skip sleep, or ignore maintenance issues as they try to meet their deadlines. Many drivers are paid according to how many miles or hours they drive, which is an incentive to push the limits of driving time.

DOT Driving Limits

The U.S. Department of Labor specifies how long truckers can drive without taking certain specified breaks:

  • A truck driver cannot drive for more than 11 hours (or work for more than 14 hours if their job requires loading or unloading cargo) after they have been off-duty for 10 hours.
  • He or she may not drive at all if they have worked for 60 hours in the previous seven days, or 70 hours in the previous eight days, unless they have taken at least 34 consecutive hours off.

Increasingly, big trucks have a satellite connection to the trucking company's head office. They may also have a Global Positioning System installed so that the company can track them. This should help to keep driving schedules responsible. But many trucks are still without these things, and the employer relies on their drivers' logbooks. Logbooks can be falsified.

Our experienced truck accident attorney team has helped numerous families in Phoenix, Arizona, and throughout the United States after a traumatic accident. Catastrophic injuries such as those to the neck, spinal cord, brain, and back, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat and often require lifetime medical care. Snyder & Wenner, P.C. is here to help your family recover after a truck accident.

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If you have suffered serious personal injury as a result of a trucking accident, or if you have lost a loved one that way, please contact our personal injury lawyers today to set up a free consultation. Our office is in Phoenix, Arizona, but we can speak with you on the phone wherever you are. If you're too injured to come to us, we will come to you.

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