The safety rules and regulations involved in commercial truck accidents in Nevada can become especially complicated when driver fatigue is a factor. Understanding how hours-of-service violations cause Nevada truck accidents requires examining the federal rules that limit driving time and the consequences when those limits are ignored.

Hours-of-service (HOS) violations can play a role in diminishing reaction time, judgment, and roadway safety. Learning about the process for determining these violations post-crash enables injured victims to comprehend the incident details and discover potential solutions.

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What Hours-of-Service Rules Are and Why They Exist

Hours-of-service regulations are federal safety rules that limit the time commercial truck drivers can be on the road without rest. These rules are designed to help combat fatigue, which can cause slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and reduced ability to control the truck. Regulations specify maximum daily and weekly driving hours and include mandatory rest periods between shifts.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has long identified driver fatigue as a significant safety concern in commercial trucking. As a result, the amount of time drivers are allowed to drive consecutively is severely limited. Hours-of-service rules, when followed, are designed to minimize fatigue-related mistakes and help create safer conditions on highways shared by commercial trucks and passenger vehicles.

How Hours-of-Service Violations Lead to Nevada Truck Accidents

Exceeding hours-of-service limitations increases the potential for fatigue-related impairments, especially on long Nevada highway stretches like I-15 and US-95. Drowsy driving can slow braking reactions, reduce situation awareness, and lead to lane departures or rear-end collisions. Nevada’s roadway environment intensifies these risks with long travel distances and overnight freight corridors.

State crash data underscores the consequences of highway collisions. According to the Nevada Department of Transportation, 351 fatal crashes occurred in Nevada in 2023, many on high-speed corridors used by commercial trucks. Fatigue-related errors on these routes can rapidly turn into catastrophic outcomes.

Common Ways Trucking Companies and Drivers Violate HOS Rules

Hours-of-service violations are sometimes difficult to identify at the time of a crash. Drivers sometimes drive too many hours by falsifying their logs or by recording on-duty non-driving time as off-duty time. Other drivers may drive when they’re required to take a break to rest in order to make deliveries on time or meet strict scheduling demands.

Investigations sometimes reveal issues such as improperly recorded rest periods or irregular electronic logging device (ELD) usage that require closer scrutiny. Hours-of-service violations can also be created by trucking companies that give drivers unreasonable timelines to meet for delivery.

In some cases, these violations can mask driver fatigue until a crash occurs. Without a thorough investigation, injured victims may not realize that an hours-of-service violation may have contributed to their crash.

How Lawyers Prove Hours-of-Service Violations After a Truck Crash

An hours-of-service violation is proven by piecing together the driver’s work and rest schedule before the wreck occurred. Lawyers will look through ELD data, dispatch information, GPS tracking, fuel purchases, toll receipts, and cell phone records. Some of these documents can show how long a driver was behind the wheel or if they skipped a break.

Fatigue-related hours-of-service violations cannot typically be confirmed by examining just one document. The verification process requires you to examine multiple data sources mentioned earlier for confirmation. Company-wide scheduling policies and compliance guidelines may also have to be reviewed. This type of investigation can show if fatigue was a factor and if other parties can be blamed.

FAQs

How Common Are Hours-of-Service Violations Nationwide?

Fatal crashes are serious collisions that happen to all vehicles. According to the Nevada Department of Transportation Crash Facts report, from 2017–2021, Nevada saw 1,544 fatal crashes. Around 64% of fatal collisions happened in Clark County. High-volume corridors such as I-15 and US-95 contribute to both local and through traffic accidents.

Can Hours-of-Service Violations Be Proven Without a Citation?

A violation of hours-of-service does not necessarily have a traffic citation issued at the scene of a crash to support its later enforcement. Violations are often discovered after investigating electronic logging records, dispatch recordings, and other pieces of operational documentation. Officers who respond to a crash may not be aware of a driver’s recent history. Therefore, fatigue enforcement tends to happen during post-crash investigations instead of roadside.

Do Hours-of-Service Rules Apply to All Commercial Trucks?

Federal Hours-of-Service regulations apply to the majority of commercial trucks crossing state lines.

There are limited exceptions based on the type of vehicle, distance traveled, and the industry being serviced. Intrastate drivers could potentially fall under Nevada hours-of-service regulations rather than federal rules. It varies by driver depending on where they are traveling, who they work for, and what they are hauling. This can play a role in how fatigue claims are processed after a truck accident.

How Long Do Trucking Companies Keep Hours-of-Service Records?

Hours-of-service records and supporting documents are typically required to be kept only for a relatively short period of time under federal law, usually six months. Electronic logging devices, dispatch records, and supporting information can legally be destroyed after this time has passed.

Since this information can be vital to demonstrating fatigue violations, delays in investigating your Nevada truck accident can result in important evidence being lost or unavailable.

Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer

Hours-of-service violations may contribute to serious Nevada truck accidents, especially along major long-haul freight corridors. Determining fatigue violations typically requires significant investigation and understanding of trucking regulations.

Easton & Easton reviews truck accident claims to identify if hours-of-service regulations have been violated and how any violations impact liability under Nevada law. Schedule a consultation today to hire a truck accident lawyer.