New York State Truck Driving Laws

Truck Crash Lawyers in NYC Helping Victims Recover Compensation

Commercial truck drivers are held to strict driving regulations at both the federal and state level. The State of New York adheres closely to federal regulations – with a few exceptions. The fact is that truck accidents are among the most dangerous accidents on our highways, and laws are in place to help keep these often-deadly accidents to a minimum. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you need an experienced Brooklyn personal injury attorney on your side.

Hours of Service Regulations

Commercial truck drivers must follow strict Hours of Service rules to help ensure that they are well-rested and attentive enough to drive safely. Some of the limitations placed on truckers include:

• A trucker can put in a maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel after having at least 10 consecutive hours off duty.

• After coming on duty (following at least 10 consecutive hours off duty), a trucker cannot drive past the 14th hour.

• After being on duty for 60 to 70 hours in a period of 7 to 8 consecutive days, a driver must take at least 34 consecutive hours off duty before getting back behind the wheel of the truck.

Those truckers who use the provision for sleeper berths must put in at least 8 consecutive hours in their berths in addition to 2 consecutive hours either in the berth or off duty (or 2 hours of any combination of these last 2).

Truckers Logs

Truck drivers are also responsible for keeping exacting logs of their hauls. Examples of the information that trucks keep in their logbooks include:

• The starting time of the 24-hour period

• The starting location and the final destination

• The carrier

• The truck number

• The number of miles driven

• The names of any co-drivers

• The commodity being transferred (including a copy of the shipping document)

Additionally, truckers must track which hours in the 24-hour period they are on duty and driving, on duty and not driving, off duty, or sleeping. Some truckers who don’t put in more than 12 consecutive hours and who don’t travel a distance greater than 100 air miles are exempt from this recordkeeping requirement.

Driver Qualifications

While truckers are required to drive their rigs safely, trucking companies are required to hire truck drivers with the appropriate qualifications. This means that each applicant must be thoroughly vetted during the hiring process. If they are not, it could result in liability for the trucking company as a result of negligent hiring practices.

If You’ve Been Injured in a Truck Accident, Consult with an Experienced NYC Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Semis are many times the size and weight of the vehicles we drive, and this size discrepancy alone makes truck accidents extremely dangerous. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman – proudly serving the NYC area – are here to help. Our firm is among the City’s oldest, and our experience shows. We’ve been successfully defending the rights of accident victims like you for decades, and we’re committed to aggressively advocating for the compensation to which you are entitled. To schedule a free consultation, please don’t hesitate to contact or call us at 212-285-3300 today.