The Barnes Firm

Give Me A Break!

• May 17, 2017
• Sandy

LOS ANGELES – If you’ve ever flown internationally, you know how long a plane flight can be. Flights to Sydney, Australia from the United States routinely stay off the ground for 16 to 18 hours – and thanks to federal regulations, pilots don’t need to stay awake during the entire flight.

That’s right: pilots can’t fly for more than nine hours in a single stretch. Flights lasting longer are required to have “relief pilots.” Truck drivers don’t always have that – and they certainly don’t have the same, strict regulations about rest.

A Los Angeles truck accident attorney at The Barnes Firm says that makes pilots some of the best-rested people in commercial transportation.

“Many truck crashes are caused by fatigue and trucking regulations continue to allow drivers to pull 11-hour shifts each day in Los Angeles,” truck accident attorney John Sheehan said. “On the other hand, Pilots get a lot more rest and as a result, there’s been a decrease in the number of fatigue-related incidents.”

The Federal Aviation Administration put the rules in action two years after a Colgan Air crash near Buffalo, New York in 2009. Pilot fatigue was believed to be a factor in the disaster.

The FAA regulations were highly based on sleep science and circadian rhythms – the body’s “clock.” It also accounts for time zone differences and it gives pilots 30 consecutive hours off work each week, so a pilot will never work for seven straight days.

“Truck drivers are not held to the same standards many others are held to in the commercial transportation industry,” Sheehan said. “When we review cases involving a truck crash, fatigue is a common factor – accidents and devastating injuries could have been prevented if a truck driver got enough rest.”

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck drivers are allowed up to 70-hours of drive-time each week – that’s a seven-day work week with 10-hour shifts each day.

“Most regulators wouldn’t dream of the same relaxed rules for pilots,” Sheehan said.

Los Angeles truck accident attorneys urge all drivers to get at least eight hours of rest each night if they plan on driving for extended periods of time.

If you’ve been injured by a negligent truck driver, the Los Angeles truck accident attorneys at The Barnes Firm have the resources to help you get the best result possible. Contact them today for a free case evaluation.

The Barnes Firm 1-(800) 800-0000