The Hours of Service Regulations: A Rule to Prevent Truck Accidents

Image source

Trucking accidents are devastating incidents that leave victims with grave injuries. Fatalities are also a very common consequence of truck accidents. Fatigued driving is a huge contributor to truck accidents. This is why the introduction of Hours of Service (HOS) regulations is critical, as it helps limit cases of fatigue.

Truck drivers and trucking companies should have a good understanding of hours of service regulations. A deep understanding of the hours of service rules and following them is the best way to avoid the different types of truck accidents that occur in the US.

Understanding Hours of Service Regulations

Basically, hours of service are a set of federal rules that govern the possible hours that commercial truck drivers can spend behind the wheels. These regulations aim to prevent drivers from falling asleep at the steering wheel, which is often the leading cause of truck crashes on interstates and highways.

HOS regulations limit the number of hours a driver can spend driving. The regulation minimizes the danger of fatigue-caused accidents and significantly raises the general level of safety in road transport.

Different Types of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents come in different forms, including several causes and consequences. Knowing the types of truck accidents would allow effective preventive measures and uplift the safety standard in the transportation industry. Some of the general types of truck accidents are:

1. Rear-end collision: This kind of impact occurs when a vehicle collides with the rear-end of another vehicle. Ordinary causes of such instances are acts such as over-speeding, tailgating, and every other type of distracted driving.

2. Jackknife Accidents: Jackknifing usually occurs when the truck’s cab folds at a sharp 90-degree angle from the trailer, hence its name. This mostly results from big jolts of sudden braking, failure to control, and loss of control, which create very precarious road conditions.

3. Rollover Accidents: A crash sometimes causes the truck to double up, tip over on its side, or tip over on its roof. These accidents are caused by speeding, shifting cargo, or taking a sharp turn, which can cause the truck to roll and expose other road users to danger.

4. Underride Collisions: These may happen due to poor visibility; a road can have poor lighting, or a trailer attached to a truck may be poorly marked and illuminated.

Preventing Truck Accidents Through Compliance with HOS Regulations

Image source

HOS has a responsibility to reduce accidents that result from fatigue and thus ensure road safety. The HOS regulations will reduce the normal condition of driver fatigue, which is associated with the major cause of truck accidents, by allowing drivers of commercial vehicles enough time to rest and limiting the hours spent driving.

The second contribution of HOS compliance is that it enables drivers to always exercise caution and follow the guiding principles of careful driving, which helps mitigate the risks involved with truck accidents.

Conclusion

Hours of Service rules greatly reduce the occurrence of accidents involving commercial trucks on the nation’s highways and interstates. The rules regulate the hours that commercial drivers should be behind the steering of their big vehicles on the highways with the aim of reducing fatigue-caused accidents.

Knowledge of the different kinds of truck accidents and how they can be avoided is essential to restoring proper safety levels in transportation. Ensuring that HOS rules are adhered to would lead to continuous improvement in driver training and awareness and make the roads a safer place for every driver.

If you have been hurt in a truck accident, hire a lawyer immediately. Experienced truck accident lawyers can help victims secure compensation and recover quickly. They can also help hold the negligent party accountable for their actions.