How truck drivers can stay up to date with the latest safety standards

Safety is the No. 1 priority for truck drivers who work tirelessly to transport goods across our nation. Driver fatigue is a big danger for truck drivers, with as many as 13% of commercial truck driver crashes due to fatigue, according to the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Just like any other occupation, truck drivers must sleep enough to combat job fatigue and take regular training courses to understand the latest safety standards. Here’s how truck drivers can stay up to date:

Review FCMSA Regulations

FCMSA regulations have a few necessary rules in place, including the 11-hour limit, 14-hour rule, and 60/70 hour limit.

The 11-hour limit regulates how many hours a truck driver can drive in one day. If a driver does drive 11 hours in one day, he or she is required to take 10 consecutive hours off duty. For the 14-hour rule, a driver has 14 hours to fit in those 11 hours of driving. Lastly, for the 60/70 hour limit, a driver cannot drive more than 60-70 hours over seven days without an extended break period. After a 40+ hour week, a driver must spend 34 hours off duty before starting another shift.

The FCMSA also recommends that truck drivers get at least 7 hours of sleep per night and take frequent breaks when feeling drowsy on the highway. There’s no need to take risks in such a high-risk job environment!

Stay Clear of Drugs and Alchohol on the Job

To comply with the Department of Transportation’s drug and alcohol testing requirements, many carriers choose random drug and alcohol testing on the job. To stay up to date with the latest regulations, be sure to submit proof of compliance to DOT every year.

The Federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse that was put into place in 2020 requires trucking companies to report drug and alcohol violations and enforce all return-to-work requirements.

Stay Clear of Bad Weather and Rural Roads

Checking the weather is necessary before embarking on a new trip, even if that trip is local. An estimated 22% of car accidents in the U.S. occur during inclement and trucks are at even higher risk for causing fatal collisions. Keep in mind that most crashes occur on rural roads where truck drivers are less likely to pay attention to what’s surrounding them or honor speed limits.

Check out Double D Distribution to learn more about asphalt trucking jobs in the Rocky Mountain Region. Our expertise is hauling soil and hot tar for construction companies, but we also take other jobs as well. We look forward to working with you!