log violation - accident/traffic

Your safety manager has this one. Lol

 

safety just notes a traffic back up
Dot will look at it during an audit
cluck their tongue and move on
if you showed a traffic incident weekly
then it becomes problematic

 

This is where the safe haven exemption comes into play and your safety department will take care of it. Be sure to add a notation of the times and location of the accident.

You are ok....

They knew these situations would come up and have ways to handle them...

 

When I saw the title of this I was thinking "just get some scissors and cut up your CDL now you won't use it anymore". But yeah just note safe haven and the times and place and go on. DOT won't say a word.

 

Safe haven is for explosives.

Adverse driving conditions applies here, but exceeded the amount since it only allows another 2 hours.

However, since the OP leaves and returns to the same location each day, then once a week there can be a 16 hour day with no problem.

 

Definition of a safe haven FMCSA 397.5:

You are allowed to leave your vehicle unattended in a safe haven. A safe haven is an approved place for parking unattended vehicles loaded with explosives. Designation of authorized safe havens is usually made by local authorities.


The OP's violation will stand....safe haven's are for explosives loads....ONLY...not a free ride for an accident due to bad weather......OP is OK as long as he hasn't used his 1 16 hour day for the week...but is still 1/2 hour over.

 

Personally, I would have logged out of the truck and driven back with my E logs not showing a driver. That is if you were not tired from being in the traffic delay.

Regulations are not written to cover every possible occurrence. At some point you as the driver have to make your own calls. HOS regs are to protect the driver from companies that want the driver to work himself to death. They all would if they could. You say you drove on in anyway so you are not really concerned about the rules. You just want to know how to get away with it. Just log out of the e-logs. For all DOT knows the truck was towed in to the yard.

 

Like others have said just note the location and reason in remarks. If the DOT spot it they most likely won't cite you or the company for it. If they do you have a good leg to stand on in court as long as you have supporting documentation that you were indeed held up in an accident.