Logbook and Record Requirements

North Carolina and South Carolina Truck Accident Attorney

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the commercial motor vehicle industry in order to promote the overall safety of drivers on the highways. When these regulations are not followed, accidents can result, causing catastrophic injuries or fatalities. There are many reasons that trucking accidents occur, but determining the cause of a trucking accident may be difficult. Driver’s logbooks and motor carrier’s records are important tools that can be used when investigating a truck accident to determine its cause.

Attorney Brian Steed Tatum has years of experience in helping North Carolina and South Carolina’s injured drivers and their families in dealing with the devastating consequences of commercial truck accidents. His puts his experience work for each client to ensure that they receive the compensation they deserve.

Logbook and Record Requirements

Hours of service records and maintenance and inspection records are required to be accurately maintained and kept up to date. These requirements are in place in order to reduce the risk of accidents occurring involving commercial motor vehicles.

Drivers are required to keep a logbook, also known as a record of duty status. These logbooks must be in the driver’s own handwriting and detail activities and duty for all 24-hour periods. Logbooks must generally contain the number of hours driven each day and rest periods (known as hours of service rules), the date a cargo load was picked up, the weight of the truck before and after the cargo was loaded, the destination of the cargo, and the date the cargo was delivered.

Employers are required to maintain supporting documents to verify the accuracy of their drivers’ logbooks. Any problems must be fully documented and verified. Truck drivers and trucking companies that falsify logbooks or violate hours of service rules can face serious penalties including:

• The driver being placed out of service until he or she has met the off-duty requirements to operate the truck legally
• Fines issued by state enforcement agencies
• Adverse effects on the motor carrier’s safety rating
• Federal criminal penalties when carriers knowingly or willfully allow hours of service violations

Logbooks can also include a history of travel, equipment malfunctions, breakdowns, problems from each trip, delays from bad weather, and disasters. Logbooks are meant to hold truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for their actions. Maintenance records are required to be kept by drivers before beginning each trip. Drivers are required to note any possible maintenance issues that could affect the truck’s ability to be operated safely on the highway. When federal logbook and record requirements are violated by falsifying the logbooks or other maintenance records, the consequences can be serious and can include trucking accidents.

If You Have Been Involved in a Semi-Truck Collision

If logbook and record requirements are not properly maintained, you need an experienced trucking attorney to hold drivers and motor carriers accountable and to pursue your claim to get you the maximum compensation for your injuries and losses. Since there are so many possible causes of a trucking accident, these cases can be very complex. Truck accident attorney Brian Steed Tatum has years of experience and will manage your case with you from beginning to end.

At the Tatum Law Firm, we are determined to ensure that you receive the compensation allowed by law. We are available to discuss the merits of your claim and offer guidance in order to pursue legal recourse. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a semi-truck collision, please contact our office at (704) 307-4350 or reach out to us online for a free case evaluation.