Why Semi Truck Driver Logs Matter in an Accident

In a car accident involving a semi-truck or a large commercial truck, it is essential that you correctly determine who is at fault for the cause of the accident. In order to do this, collecting as much evidence as you can is essential. One of the best pieces of evidence you can use in an accident involving a truck is the truck driver log. A truck driver log—a log the driver is required to fill out whenever they make a trip—can make or break a case.

The federal government requires all commercial truck drivers to track each and every move they make while they are on the road, therefore keeping the roads safe. A truck driver log keeps track of things like hours of service, how the truck driver is feeling at the time, any updates to the drive, and the mechanical status of the truck.

Because of this information, these logs are an invaluable piece of evidence to a personal injury case. Above all, truck drive logs provide the necessary insight into understanding exactly why the accident happened and why the truck was involved. There are a myriad of things that a driver could do, or not do, that could contribute to an accident. Even if the cause of the accident is a seemingly innocent one, the accident still occurred, which means whoever is at fault must be brought to justice.

Rules of Truck Driver Logs

Every commercial truck or semi-truck that you see on the road is required to keep a truck driver log. This law was created by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation. These logs, as stated above, are intended to keep the roads safe. Truck driver logs detail the driver’s activities while on the road, and include extensive amounts of information.

There are specific rules regarding how logs must be filled out. As drivers fill out their logs each day, they must keep a copy of the log for their own records, and the original log must always be sent to the truck company. As a rule of thumb, each driver is required to keep up to seven days worth of logs with them while driving.

Here is some of the information kept in a truck driver’s log:

– Driver’s Full Name
– Location/Where their duty status is located
– Truck company name/Any information regarding the trailer (if the truck has one)
– List of the cities & states visited
– Amount of time it took to drive the job
– Time spent sleeping
– Names of anyone who helped drive during the trip
– Time spent not driving (mealtimes, etc.)
– Total number of miles driven in a 24-hour period

Watch Out for False Records

Unfortunately, some truck drivers have been known to falsify driver logs in the event of a car accident in order to protect themselves from a lawsuit. The penalties for mistakes on the road are tough for truck drivers, and this has been known to lead to bad behavior such as falsifying logs.

One of the biggest mistakes a driver can make, and therefore will omit from their log, is driving outside of monitored hours. However, there are many other reasons a driver would want to falsify their logs, such as not keeping up with truck maintenance or avoiding weather warnings. Whatever the falsification may be, it is a serious criminal offense, and if found guilty, a driver can face prison time and/or hefty fines.

Fortunately, even if a driver tries to make certain events unknowable by putting false information in the log, a lawyer can still uncover what actually occurred by closely investigating all of the events that occurred leading up to and during the accident. Typically, when a driver falsifies his or her log, a lawyer will notice various discrepancies that make the falsification obvious. For example, certain dates may not line up with dates that were logged by others working with the driver at the same time.

Lawyers will dig deep and look at anything they can to uncover the truth. Gas receipts, cell phone records, weigh station information, and much more can help lawyers uncover who is at fault. This information can show a lawyer exactly what happened leading up to the accident, especially if certain facts do not line up with the driver’s account.

If you have been in a car accident involving a large truck, it is important to know that truck companies are not required to indefinitely keep their truck driver logs. This is why you must talk to a lawyer to see if you have a case that is worth pursuing. To speak with a lawyer who personally understands spinal cord injuries, please contact us today.