How Much Sleep Should a Truck Driver Get?
Everyone has a kind of “internal clock” that regulates our waking and sleeping patterns. These are referred to as circadian rhythms. When there is a dip in the circadian rhythm, we get drowsy. Ideally, that should happen when we are getting ready for bed, but it can also occur when we are behind the wheel of our cars. This can be an especially risky condition for truck drivers who drive at all hours of the day and night. The issue of how much sleep a truck driver should get has become an official federal regulation.
Hours of Service Regulations
Here are the hours-of-service regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
Daily Limit
A truck driver is allowed only to drive 11 hours a day. At eight hours, they must take at least one 30-minute break from driving. After 11 hours, they must take a break from driving for at least 10 hours.
Weekly Maximum
A truck driver is permitted to work a maximum of 70 hours per week.
Days Off
When a truck driver reaches the 70-hour-a-week limit, they must rest for 34 hours before starting the next week.
These are the regulations that every truck driver must follow, regardless of what they are hauling.
Logging Miles
When you go on a road trip, you might log your mileage just for fun. Truck drivers are legally required to log their mileage time, including break times. One of the reasons for this is to ensure that trucks are driving at the correct speed limits. For instance, if they are only allowed to drive 11 hours at 65 mph, then they should only be able to log in 600-650 miles. Even that is considered pushing the limit.
While these are intended to be easy-to-follow regulations, there are some concerns, especially regarding the 10-hour break. When a trucker arrives at their delivery destination the 10-hour break can start. However, they still have to wait for the truck to be unloaded. You also add in parking, eating, and showering, and that break might only yield four to five hours of sleep. Could you drive 600 miles on just four hours of sleep?
When you drive with less than the recommended eight hours of quality sleep, it is equivalent to driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of around 0.10, which is considered over the legal limit. This leads to lower reaction times for a truck driver and can also lead to a condition referred to as microsleeps. Microsleeps are when you literally fall asleep for a few seconds, but that is enough for an 80,000-pound truck to drive out of control.
Sleeping Options
When it comes to truckers taking breaks, they have options. Local drivers will sleep in their own beds. Long-haul or regional drivers can sleep in their truck berths. Those are the beds built into the back of a tractor-trailer cab. Sometimes, sleeping quarters are available at a customer’s facility. Truckers can also spend the night in a motel, but that would be an out-of-pocket expense for them.
Bottom line: There is no valid excuse for a trucker to miss out on sleep.
When Accidents Happen
A trucker who breaks the speed limit rule and causes a trucking accident in Seattle is as bad as one who violates hours of service rules. Truckers are responsible for getting adequate sleep to perform their duties. If you were involved in an accident because of a trucker who was drowsy driving, it will be time to talk to the Trucking Injury Law Group.
We are a team of dedicated attorneys who understand the nature of these types of accidents. We know how to access those vital driving logs and can help use them as crucial exhibits in a personal injury lawsuit. Call to talk about the incident today. You can feel empathy for a truck driver who needs more sleep, but that is not an excuse for causing an accident.
