A fatigued trucker may seriously injure you

If you regularly drive on highway 22 or 219, you know how many commercial vehicles pass through the Johnstown area on any given day. Typically, you do not have to worry about a negligent trucker causing an accident. After all, commercial drivers usually receive extensive training. Still, a drowsy driver may put your life in jeopardy. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation has strict resting rules most commercial truckers must follow. There are different sets of rules for drivers that haul goods and for those who carry people. Naturally, the purpose of these rules is to keep both you and the driver safe. Here are a few things you should know about hours of service requirements for drivers that carry goods.

The 11-hour rule 

Truckers may only drive 11 consecutive hours before they must take a 10-hour break. This is arguably the simplest rule for commercial drivers.

The 14-hour rule 

The 14-hour rule is a bit more complicated than the 11-hour one. This rule accounts for both driving and work time. When drivers come on the clock, they must complete work and driving within a fixed 14-hour time period. For example, if drivers start the day at 9 a.m., they must rest after 11 p.m., regardless of the number of hours they actually spent behind the wheel.

The 30-minute rule 

After drivers work for eight hours, they must take a 30-minute break. The clock begins to run when the driver begins work, not when he or she begins to drive. If the driver breaks early in a shift, two breaks may be necessary during a 14-hour workday.

If you have a collision with a semi truck, you have decent odds of sustaining a life-altering injury. Recovering from such an injury can be both expensive and time consuming, so you may need to act quickly to receive just compensation from the fatigued trucker who caused the accident.