Practice Area
Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Lawyers.
Federal law limits how long a commercial driver can stay behind the wheel. When carriers ignore those limits — or coach drivers to falsify logs — people die.
Quick answer
How do you prove truck driver fatigue caused a crash?
Truck driver fatigue is proven by comparing the driver's electronic logging device (ELD) records, fuel and toll receipts, GPS data, and dispatch messages against FMCSA hours-of-service limits: 11 hours of driving after 10 hours off duty, a 14-hour on-duty window, and a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving.
Driver fatigue is a leading cause of serious large-truck crashes. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR Part 395) cap property-carrying drivers at 11 driving hours within a 14-hour on-duty window, followed by 10 consecutive hours off duty. When carriers push past those limits or coach drivers to falsify Electronic Logging Device (ELD) entries, the resulting crashes are typically catastrophic. Our semi-truck accident lawyers move within hours to subpoena ELD data, fuel receipts, toll records, dispatch communications, and the driver qualification file before the carrier can alter them.
The Hours-of-Service Rules
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations limit property-carrying drivers to 11 driving hours within a 14-hour on-duty window, followed by 10 consecutive hours off duty. Drivers are capped at 60 hours over seven days, or 70 hours over eight.
How fatigue is proven
Since the 2017 ELD mandate, most commercial vehicles automatically log driving time. But carriers can — and do — edit those records, exempt certain trips, or pressure drivers to log "off-duty" while still driving. Cross & York cross-references ELD data with fuel receipts, weigh-station records, toll transponders, GPS pings, and cell-tower data to expose log violations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Driver Fatigue Cases
- What are the federal hours-of-service rules for truck drivers?
- Property-carrying commercial drivers are limited to 11 driving hours within a 14-hour on-duty window, followed by 10 consecutive hours off duty. Weekly limits are 60 hours over seven days, or 70 hours over eight days for carriers operating every day.
- How do you prove a truck driver was fatigued?
- Since the 2017 ELD mandate, most commercial vehicles log driving time electronically. Cross & York cross-references ELD data with fuel receipts, weigh-station records, toll transponders, GPS pings, dispatch messages, and cell-tower data to expose log violations and falsified entries.
- Is the trucking company liable when a driver falls asleep?
- Almost always, yes. Carriers are vicariously liable for their drivers and directly liable for unrealistic schedules, hours-of-service violations, and failure to enforce rest rules. Many large verdicts in fatigue cases include punitive damages against the carrier itself.
- What evidence disappears fastest in a fatigue case?
- Dashcam footage can be overwritten within 24–72 hours. ECM data is typically purged or overwritten within 30 days. ELD records can be edited by the carrier within tight windows. Call Cross & York immediately so we can issue litigation holds.
- How much is a truck driver fatigue case worth?
- Settlements and verdicts vary widely based on injuries, lost income, available insurance, and whether punitive damages are supported by corporate misconduct. Cross & York has recovered seven- and eight-figure outcomes in fatigue-related crashes.
Guides on this topic
Filing deadlines and fault rules depend on where the crash happened. See the truck accident laws in your state.