Truck accidents may be less common than car accidents but they are much more likely to be fatal or cause catastrophic injuries. This is due to the size and weight, and the fact that they are much more likely to be on highways or interstates with high speeds. The federal government has passed many regulations to try and reduce the number of truck accidents on the road. One of those regulations involves keeping logbooks.
Companies must have very specific records of how long their truck drivers are on the road, where their shipments are going, and the number of miles each driver has driven in a given day. When an accident does occur, one of the first thing a truck accident attorney will look at is the logbook. The U.S. Department of Transportation also has the power to audit logbooks.
That said, these are errors made in these logbooks – and sometimes drivers or trucking companies will knowingly falsify information. These mistakes can lead to deadly accidents. Keep reading to find out how logbook errors can cause accidents. Then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you would like a free legal consultation.
Requirements in Trucking Logbooks
Every driver of a commercial vehicle is required by law to track their status for a 24-hour period using an onboard recording device and / or an official form. They must enter information include where they report for work, what time they start to drive, what time they go on duty (working while not driving), and when they end their day.
The goal is to prevent the drivers from working too many hours within a 24-hour period. Recent studies have shown that when a person has not slept for 20 hours, they are as impaired to drive as they would be if they were over the legal blood alcohol limit of .08%.
Examples of Logbook Errors
The most common and dangerous example of a logbook errors I not listing the right time that a driver got on the road, had a break, or stopped working for the day. Other issues include recording inaccurate information about the weight of goods loaded on trailers, or unevenly loaded trailers. It can also be an issue if maintenance checks are logged when they were not actually completed.
If you have been involved in a truck accident then we strongly recommend that you get legal help sooner rather than later. You can reach Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 now to request a free legal consultation. We can talk to you about your options and help you move forward after your accident.
