Are regulations in place to control the number of hours a truck driver can drive in relation to the hours of sleep they get?
One of the most dangerous aspects of sharing the road with tractor trailer trucks is the condition of the truck driver. As much of trucking is an industry of efficiency and deadlines, many truck drivers are hard-pressed to make it to their destinations on time, frequently driving for extremely long stretches of time without rest. Driver fatigue can lead to drowsiness and instances of falling asleep behind the wheel. In fact, a recent survey showed that 20 percent of long-haul truck drivers admitted to having fallen asleep in the month prior to the survey. This dangerous behavior can cause trucks to drift in and out of lanes, collide with other cars, and overturn. Due to the prevalence of driver fatigue and drowsiness as the major contributing factor in truck accidents, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) established new regulations to limit the number of hours truck drivers are allowed to drive and reduce driver fatigue. For long-
