New York residents understand that truckers who spend many long and often lonely hours behind the wheel can naturally become tired. The fatigue that sets in may be a contributor to crashes as drivers are unable to make their best decisions or react as quickly as they might if they were fresher and more awake. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration acknowledges this risk and has therefore developed a set of rules governing the working and rest hours for commercial drivers.
Through the Hours of Service rule, the FMCSA dictates the maximum number of hours that may be worked in a given week and day, how many of those hours may be spent actively driving and the frequency and durations of break periods. For drivers who carry goods, not people, a work week extending eight days may include up to 70 hours worked. Drivers who work a seven-day week may log up to 60 hours in that time.
A single day's work cannot be more than 14 hours but the maximum number of hours that can be spent driving in one day is 11. A 30-minute or more rest period must be taken at least every eight hours. Work weeks are to be separated by time off of work that lasts for at least 34 consecutive hours.
If you would like to learn more about the requirements of commercial motor vehicle drivers to operate their rigs safely, please feel free to visit the consumer vehicular accident prevention page of our New York personal injury website.
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