It is difficult to argue against the reality that truckers' jobs are among the hardest and most time-consuming. They have a lot of obstacles to overcome. Drowsiness, however, is the most hazardous condition that frequently affects truck drivers. Traffic accidents are frequently caused by this condition. That is why a proper sleeping schedule is important.
According to the old rules, every trucker must be given at least 45 hours of rest after a maximum of six days of work. A reduced version is also allowed - no less than 24 hours. But the driver should be compensated for the missing hours during the next weekly rest.
The innovations will make this scheme more flexible - with international transportation, two shortened weekly rest days in a row will be possible. But on the condition that there will be no more than two every four weeks. Compensated rest time cannot be split - it must be given to the driver by the end of the third week after the reduced rest period.
Reduced rest will be allowed in the cab of the truck. But for the rest of more than 45 hours, trucking companies will have to organize outside the car, and the employer will pay for the premises. Such facilities must have places to sleep and bathrooms.
The original HOS contained certain limitations to satisfy public concerns about truck driver fatigue and traffic safety, but they weren't enough to prohibit truck corporations from providing incentives for skip breaks.
Recommendations:
The recommendation for an adult to sleep for 8 hours per night is supported by science. Of course, every individual is different. Some folks require less sleep time. This aspect is not essential for some occupations. Yet, it does not apply to become a driver, particularly a truck driver. While tonnage trucks are involved in infrequent incidents that do not result in fatalities, a truck driver who does not get enough sleep can be compared to a potential killer.
Every driver should monitor the condition of his body. Here are a few signs that indicate drowsiness:
If one of these signs occurs, the driver must stop the car and rest.
In America, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 is acceptable. Studies by scientists show that 18 hours without truck drivers sleep is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.05 ppm. If a person stays awake for 24 hours, this figure exceeds the allowable blood alcohol concentration.
When driving long distances, some factors should be considered when driving drowsy.
Sometimes having people sitting next to you distracts the driver. But it has been proven that not having a passenger nearby causes 82% of accidents. Talking to the person beside you increases the driver's alertness and keeps him or her awake.
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