Thousands of large commercial trucks cross South Carolina roadways each day, and these vehicles are essential parts of our strong economy. A recent change took place that could increase truck safety on the roadway. Truck drivers are now required to use “electronic logging devices” to keep track of their hours of service.
What this change means
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FCMSA) requires that drivers keep track of their hours. In order to ensure the safety of drivers and others on the roadway, the FMCSA implements strict hour limits for drivers for each workday and workweek.
Before December 17, 2019, drivers in SC were only required to keep track of these hours on paper logs. Now, due to a federal mandate that has been in the making for at least 10 years, all truck drivers in the state will have to keep track of their hours on electronic logging devices (ELD). Drivers who did not already have an ELD by the deadline were required to have one installed in their rigs. This device will make sure that the driver stops and rests when they are supposed to.
According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, there were 4,986 total collisions involving trucks during the latest reporting year across the state. Out of those incidents, there were 65 fatalities and 1,637 people injured.
One of the leading causes of truck accidents is driver error. Drivers who do not follow the required hours of service could end up operating while fatigued.
The hours of service can be complicated to understand, but generally, truckers are limited to driving 11 hours during a 14-hour period after they have had 10 consecutive hours off. Additionally, drivers are limited to no more than 60 hours in-duty over seven days or 70 hours over eight days.
Call us for help today
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a truck accident that was caused by the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company, contact the Dan Pruitt Law Firm today. Our knowledgeable and experienced team will investigate the incident and work to secure any compensation you are entitled to. You can contact our Greenville truck accident attorney for a free consultation today to find out what your next steps should be.