Truck Driver Fatigue Laws

Truck driving is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in America due to the long time drivers must spend driving. This means fatigued truckers are at risk for causing serious accidents. That is why truck driver hours of service regulations are tightly controlled by both Federal and state regulation.

California’s Intrastate HOS Rules

For truck drivers whose work is confined to California, the state’s HOS rules offer some variations from the federal regulations. These differences accommodate the unique demands of intrastate trucking within the Golden State. The key distinctions include:

• 12-hour driving limit: California allows intrastate drivers to drive up to 12 hours in a workday.
• 16-hour on-duty limit: The total on-duty time for a California intrastate driver is capped at 16 hours in a 24-hour period.
• 80-hour/8-day limit: Instead of the 60/70-hour rule, California intrastate drivers have an 80-hour on-duty limit within any 8-consecutive-day period.

Even with these state-specific rules, the fundamental goal remains the same: to prevent fatigued driving. Additionally, California law requires employers to provide their truck-driving employees with paid 10-minute rest breaks for every four hours worked, or major fraction thereof, and a 30-minute meal break for shifts longer than five hours.

US Federal Regulations on Fatigued Driving (HOS Rules)

The Federal Hours of Service (HOS) rules, established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), primarily regulate the hours of truck drivers. These rules apply to interstate commercial drivers, including those operating across California. However, the state has also implemented its own labor and safety rules that can apply, particularly to intrastate trucking operations, which are trips that begin and end within the state.

Key Federal HOS Regulations for Property-Carrying Drivers

These rules include:

• 11-hour driving limit: A driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
• 14-hour limit: The 11 driving hours must occur within a 14-hour window following 10 hours off duty.
• 30-minute break rule: Drivers must take a 30-minute break after eight cumulative hours of driving.
• 60/70-hour weekly limit: Drivers may not drive after 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days, depending on the carrier’s operation schedule.
• Sleeper berth provision: Drivers using a sleeper berth must spend at least 7 hours in the berth and an additional 2 hours either in the berth or off duty.

The Trucking Company May Face Liability for Fatigued Drivers

It is not just the truck driver who can be held accountable for accidents caused by fatigued driving. Trucking companies can also be liable if they:

• Encourage or coerce drivers to exceed hours-of-service limits
• Fail to monitor logbooks or ELDs for violations
• Neglect to enforce mandatory rest breaks
• Use compensation models that reward faster deliveries over safety
• Hire drivers with known histories of HOS violations or fatigue-related crashes

California employers are held to high standards under CACI No. 3700’s respondeat superior laws, which can make them vicariously liable for the negligent acts of employees while on duty. If a company’s practices knowingly put fatigued drivers on the road, they may also face direct liability for negligent supervision or training.

Victims of fatigue-related truck crashes can pursue compensation on the grounds of negligence in several ways, including:

• Negligence: Establishing that the truck driver breached their duty of care by driving while fatigued
• Negligent hiring or supervision: Holding the trucking company responsible for unsafe policies or practices
• Violation of safety regulations: Showing that the driver violated federal or state HOS guidelines
• Wrongful death: For families of victims killed in a crash caused by driver fatigue

Damages may include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, loss of consortium, and other related expenses such as pain and suffering compensation. In extreme cases, the court may award exemplary damages if the conduct was especially reckless, such as falsifying logs or pressuring drivers to skip their rest periods.

Establishing fatigue in a truck accident case is rarely simple. Trucking companies often have teams of lawyers and insurers working to downplay driver fatigue or shift blame onto others. A Curtis Legal Group skilled Sacramento truck accident lawyer can:

• Investigate ELD and GPS data to uncover hours-of-service violations
• Obtain cell phone records and dashcam footage
• Depose trucking company employees about internal policies and practices
• Work with accident reconstruction experts and sleep scientists
• Build a compelling narrative of how fatigue led to the crash
• Negotiate assertively with insurers or take the case to trial if needed

Given the complexities of California and federal trucking laws, having an experienced legal advocate can be the difference between a denied claim and significant compensation.

Time is critical. The trucking company may start building its defense within hours. They can alter or lose evidence, like logbooks and ELD data, without swift legal action.

At Curtis Legal Group, we focus on the legal process so you can focus on building back your life. If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, contact our Sacramento truck accident lawyer today.