Taylor University Accident (drivers read this)

There's a big difference between this and logging wasted time as sleeper berth time. Or going over until you can find a parking place. You could probably go to jail anyway for any violation, but I make distinction between those who keep two log books or drive twenty hours a day and those who log sleeper berth when they're taking a shower or eating.

Keep in mind, if this had been a person driving a car and speeding or not paying attention, that person could just as easily killed people and gone to jail. Everybody should be careful, get enough rest, and drive safely.

http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=255942

 

I agree. Sometimes a driver has to drive when he is tired even if he is logging legally. Would it better to be in an accident, that is your fault, where someone is killed while logging legally but you're too tired. Or to be in an accident that is not your fault where someone is killed, but you're logs are not completely legal so you go to jail. You could do what you have to do to get enough rest and go to jail, or you could be legal and not be well-rested and go to jail. It's a mess.

I do everything I can to log legally at all times. I've only had two violations from my company log auditor this year for minor violations.

But the guy here in the wreck in Indiana was way over the line and is good example of what can happen when you're both logging illegally and too tired.

 

I would guess that most of the drivers you are helping aren't anywhere in the ballpark with this guy. This is an extreme example, 9 hours over his limit. Maybe in the old days it was more common. But with qualcomm, etc., there aren't a lot of drivers that push it that far.

But I'm sure it will soon be part of the video for many new-hire orientations around the country. If drivers remember this when they think of driving too long, maybe some good will be done.

 

My opinion is that sometimes your body won't tell you when you're getting too tired to drive. By the time your head starts bobbing it's past time to pull over. That's why they have the 11 hour driving rule. I know, some drivers can drive longer than that and some can't drive that long. It's just a way to protect drivers from bad companies (and there are a lot of them) from running their drivers to death. Lots and lots of variables here.

 

I know people, even a family member, who has fell asleep at the wheel and crashed after working a double shift at a warehouse and other places.

I think it is a #### shame that laws are only put on truck drivers to control the amount of time they do this and that. I am not saying I disagree with laws being put in place to make the highways safer, but it really irritates me that a nurse can drive 2 hours one way to work, run a 12 hours shift of stressful work, drive home, fix dinner, check the kids schoolwork, then after 5 hours of rest go back and do it again. That, or a warehouse worker can work consecutive 8 hours shifts for some extra money and get on the very same highways, and this is perfectly legal.

It is a case of laws being made to punish the result of what a semi can do, rather than punishing the acts involved to cause it, period.

Then again, it is perfectly ok for a cop to speed down the highway for no reason, or clog up the passing lane going 10 miles an hour below the speed limit while running radar on the opposite lanes, fly across the center of the highway and cause a truck to go into a skid to avoid them, and constantly make turns without using a signal. But, I have already drug this thread off topic enough with double standards, so I will stop there, LOL.

In all seriousness, LogsRus made a very good point. For drivers who don't think anything will happen, this is a perfect example of how one bad situation can put you in prison for years.
Just for one second, think about changing this scenario to a scenario where the same driver took a drink of water, coke, coffee or whatever and choked and lost control. Or if the driver had started coughing or sneezing, or simply blew a steer tire and lost control. It wouldn't matter that it was an innocent mistake, driver fatigue would be the blame all because maybe you didn't draw one line in your log book when leaving the shipper's dock.

 

I completely understand and I think most drivers do. But most also realize that it's nearly impossible to run 100% legal, 100% of the time. Just a couple of nights ago, I ran into that situation where my hours ran out while I was getting loaded and was not allowed to sleep there at the shipper. So I drove 30 miles to a truck stop and luckily there was one space left. If I got in a wreck and somebody was killed, I guess I'd go to jail, unless they bought into the explanation I put in the log book. It's just part of the danger that goes with the job.

But this article is a big wake up call. My heart goes out to those families.