The role of logbooks in West Jordan truck accident cases is crucial. In fact, some cases hinge on the information found in these records. Logbooks show the hours of service that truckers put in, and any violations may support claims that fatigued driving caused an accident. If you were injured by a drowsy trucker, discuss your concerns with a truck collision attorney at Kramer Injury Law today.
Hours of Service Requirements
The federal government determines the regulations regarding hours of service for truckers and trucking companies, under 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 395, which includes the following:
- After taking at least 10 consecutive off-duty hours, truckers can drive for a maximum of 11 hours
- After driving for a period of eight cumulative hours, truckers must take a break of at least 30 consecutive minutes, during which they can engage in any nondriving activity
- In the course of seven consecutive days, truckers cannot drive after 60 on-duty hours, and in the course of eight consecutive days, truckers cannot drive after 70 on-duty hours
- Truckers cannot drive for more than 14 hours after coming on duty, which must follow at least 10 consecutive hours off duty, and no amount of additional off-duty time can extend this 14-hour limit
Hours of service rules are rigid. Every West Jordan trucker is responsible for accurately documenting their hours in a logbook that can be used as evidence in crash cases.
What Is the Trucker’s Logbook?
Truck drivers are required to record their working hours in their logbooks. This practice includes tracking:
- Breaks
- Rest periods
- Off-duty hours
- Hours spent driving
- Driving history over the course of a seven- or eight-day stretch
Logbooks require exacting documentation. The goal of logbooks is to prevent dangerous, fatigue-based truck accidents in West Jordan. A trucker’s long hours of driving and chaotic driving schedule may result in drowsy driving.
The Role the Trucker’s Logbook Will Play in Your Claim
If you were injured by an overly tired truck driver, you will need to prove their negligence in order to create a strong case. An important piece of evidence may be the trucker’s logbook.
Your seasoned truck accident lawyer will likely use the logbook to help determine if the West Jordan trucker exceeded the legal number of driving hours and whether or not they took their required rest breaks. The information gleaned from logbooks, however, can go well beyond this.
Altering the Books
In the past, truckers filled in their logbooks by hand, so it was much easier for them to alter their driving records. Now, most logbooks are kept electronically, but this does not mean that truckers and trucking companies do not find ways to change the data.
Digging Into the Logbook
Your skilled attorney will examine the truck driver’s logbook for inconsistencies. This can help create a much more accurate picture of the trucker’s activities prior to the accident that caused your injury.
Your legal counsel will also do some cross-referencing to help ensure that the trucker’s logged hours are accurate. This can involve lining up the log entries with data from the truck’s GPS as well as checking toll receipts against the log’s dates and times.
Call a West Jordan Lawyer To Discuss Using a Logbook in Your Truck Crash Claim
The role of logbooks in West Jordan truck accident cases should not be discounted. The information found within them may be key to proving that the trucker’s fatigue caused the accident in question. Our team of knowledgeable attorneys at Kramer Injury Law is dedicated to getting favorable outcomes from challenging claims for all our clients in Salt Lake County. If you have suffered an injury due to a collision with a truck, contact us online or call us today.
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