The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains strict regulations for the safety of professional truck drivers and everyone on the road around them, and when these drivers falsify their logbooks to extend their own driving hours, they not only cost companies hundreds upon hundreds of dollars, but also create unnecessary risks for other motorists when they drive fatigued, especially late at night. Some current DOT regulations include an 11-hour driving limit after 10 consecutive off-duty hours, and they may not drive after 60-70 on-duty hours in a 7-8 day consecutive period.
Here are some reasons why professional truck drivers and/or their companies may falsify their daily driving logs:
- Monetary gain – Money is often a factor when the gains are higher than the penalties for falsification. Drivers are often paid by the mile, so more miles logged means more money. Rewards for falsified information (either unbeknownst to the employer or for its benefit) can top $500 per week.
- Family obligations – Certain aspects of personal and family life urge drivers to spend more time at home, especially around the holidays, and some may adjust their logs to make up for “lost time” which was actually time squeezed in to be with the family or extend their logged hours around the holidays.
- Shipping companies – These companies maximize profits by moving products from the loading dock to customers in the shortest amounts of time. This pressure is passed on eventually to the truck driver, who may be tempted to adjust logs to meet these demands.
- Carriers/employers – These companies can also place unreasonable demands on drivers, and when they fall behind or come short of deadlines they may adjust their logged hours to compensate.
- Health – Fatigued driving is a serious problem, so much so that it can even cause drivers to poorly judge the extent of their own fatigue and take greater risks as a result. When hours are long and deadlines are strict, some drivers do falsify their logbooks rather than drive with extreme fatigue.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, contact America’s Consumer Lawyer for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.
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