Signing my log book

So my obvious question would be.....:
What is the point of the log book requiring a signature in the first place, if it dosen't matter?
Someone obviously has to benefit from that signature and my gut feeling tells me, when push comes to shove it won't be the driver.

I'm too tired to be looking up weasel words written by lawyers or quoting long HOS paragraphs and frankly i dont really care, but if the above reply is correct, common sense tells me that by signing before you have to (at the beginning of your day).... you are just giving them a rope to hang you with in case that excrament hits the fan,...why else would they require your signature for?
That signature slot has been put there for a reason....i immagine that the DOT really wouldn't care much, if they catch you with no signature going across the scales, but when something bad happens... make no mistake, that signature will suddenly became very important to the lawyers in the courtroom (including yours), should you end up there because of an accident....

Why?...Because thats what lawyers do....
They are trained to split hairs and argue every technicality they can think of to hang you with, no matter how ridiculous or insignificant it seems under normal circumstances....including your signature.

Just like going 2 miles over the speed limit won't get the cops too excited and it won't likely get you a speeding ticked......
But if you are involved in a bad accident while going 2 miles over speed limit?..... Make no mistake, as the "other sides" lawyers will make every effort to exploit this fact in order to point out that "technically" you were breaking the law, which carries implications that you were negligent or careless....which they will quite possibly base their whole case on, if they have nothing else


I can just hear the cross examining lawyer:
"Mr Driver...were you speeding at the time of the accident?"
"Common now...i was only 2 mph over the limit!"
"Mr driver...this is a YES or NO question...let me ask you again...."

Same could be said about the signature....
"Mr Driver...is it your signature in the upper right corner?...yes or no?"

 

The point is that it is required that it be signed and that not signing it is a violation itself, one which you can be cited for or one which can be shown as a violation on an inspection.

As to when to sign it my belief is that it be the last thing written on the log, as you cannot certify something as being correct if it isn't complete. But I know drivers signing it first thing and last thing and none have had a problem. In other words it doesn't seem to be a big deal to enforcement when one signs it but that they do sign it.

Best regards

 

you sign the logbook when you are done for that day. otherwise, to have signed earlier, you can be cited for violations as you pre-certified. you cannot be made to sign a log till the end of the day. you have ample times to make corrections if you need to. then when completed, you sign.

this is why you sign when you are done, so if you need to make corrections you can, otherwise, if you "pre-sign", then you certified everything up to that point are correct.

now suppose you made a mistake in driving time, and you pre-signed the log, you CAN AND WILL get nailed for it, as you certified, it was correct...........!!!!!

 

AS far as signing, I sign it when I'm done making entries, however I put my Driver ID on the right side of the signature line when I start the page. I have never received any grief from any bears at scales or otherwise on how I long. Keep it current, keep it neat and fill out the required information at the start.

 

i agree with the sign at end of day theory---its pretty hard to certify an entry as true if you havnt done it yet
when i worked in aviation--if you signed or certifyd anything before it was done---you would be getting in some pretty deep poop

 

when the workingday is finish iam sign my logs never have a problem with this with dot

 

This is so true , I often told drivers that they might pull one over on me .But heaven help them if they were ever involved in a serious wreck cause there will a lawyer somewhere that will go through the logbooks ,truck and driver with a fine tooth comb and he will pick your bones if your wrong ....Much much worse than I as a MCE Officer could ever do to him..

 

I believe I stated that I believed it should be signed after it was completed, but again I know of no one cited for signing early. It seems to be mostly an enforcement doesn't care thing.

And you would be certifying everything not there as correct also. I believe we agree that it is to be signed when completed.

Best regards

 

End of day. That's me.

 

You would be correct, and to bolster your point

Interpretation for Part 395.8: Driver’s record of duty status.


Question 24: When must a driver complete the signature/certification of the driver’s record of duty status?
Guidance: In general, the driver must sign the record of duty status immediately after all required entries have been made for the 24-hour period. However, if the driver is driving at the end of the24-hourperiod,he/shemustsign during the next stop. A driver may also sign the record of duty status upon going off duty if he/she expects to remain off duty until the end of the 24-hour period.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu...fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=395.8&guidence=Y