Securing The Truck Driver Log Is A Priority After Any Accident
Truck driver logbooks are grid-type charts that drivers use to keep track of the hours they spend working, driving, resting and in the sleeper birth of their cabs. Truck drivers are required by the Department of Transportation to complete these logs and save them to show that they have complied with DOT hours-of-service rules. However, log books can be destroyed after a short time, so it is important to act fast to make sure they are still available as evidence. Following an accident involving a truck and a car, the logbook — and its accuracy — can be an important element in your legal case.
At Friedman Law Offices in Lincoln, Nebraska, our lawyers represent victims of car-truck collisions. If you were injured or a loved one killed in a truck accident, our lawyers will take immediate steps to secure the logbook and determine if the driver took required rest breaks and completed the log accurately.
DOT Hours-Of-Service Rules
Commercial truck drivers must comply with three rules:
- The 70-hour rule: A trucker can work no more than 70 hours in a week. Working includes both driving and nondriving activities while still on duty.
- The 14-hour rule: A trucker can only work 14 hours in a day without a 10-hour break.
- The 11-hour rule: Total driving hours cannot exceed 11 hours in day without a 10-hour break.
Example: After a driver starts work, he or she can’t drive more than 11 hours without taking a 10-hour break. Drivers must stop work for the day after 14 hours unless they take a 10-hour break during the day.
Is The Driver Log Accurate?
Truck drivers, under economic pressure to drive as long as possible, may create false records to show that they have taken rest breaks when in fact they didn’t. It’s not uncommon for truckers to refer to the driver logbooks as “cheat sheets” or “funny pages.”
If the truck is equipped with a GPS (global positioning system), logbook entries can be compared with GPS records to determine if the truck was stationary while the driver claimed to be resting. By checking gas and meal receipts, our lawyers can also determine if a driver committed logbook violations.
Free Consultation With An Outstanding Attorney
To arrange a free consultation with a lawyer at our firm, call 888-419-6876 or fill out the contact form on this website. While our law office is in Lincoln, we represent truck accident victims throughout Nebraska.