If you are like most people who live and drive in Kentucky, you see your fair share of tractor-trailers and other commercial trucks on the road. From time to time, you might even see one of these trucks swerve or make some type of maneuver that makes you wonder if the driver inside is fatigued or otherwise distracted. These are legitimate concerns as they directly relate to your safety when sharing the road with big rigs.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recognizes the need for truckers to be alert when behind the wheel. As such, they have developed what is called the Hours of Service rule. This is a set of regulations that outlines how many hours a trucker can work or drive in a given day or work week. For drivers who work an eight-day work week, they may log a total of 70 hours during that time. Drivers working a seven-day work week may log 60 hours in that time. People in both scenarios must be off duty for a full 34 hours before starting a new work week.
In a single day, a trucker may work a total of 14 hours but only 10 of those hours may be spent driving. Rest periods are mandated at least every eight hours.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents in Kentucky an overview of the rules and regulations governing commercial truckers' working and driving hours so as to prevent excessive fatigue while operating their vehicles.
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