Truck drivers in Ohio will have to start using electronic logging devices because of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s ELD mandate. The rule is going into effect, and over-the-road drivers will have to comply with it.

Under the ELD mandate, truck drivers must install the electronic logging devices in their trucks. The devices monitor when the engines are running, when the vehicles are moving and the number of miles that are driven. The devices are designed to eliminate the handwritten logbooks that truck drivers have used so that they cannot be doctored. The FMCSA states that the rule should reduce the number of truck driving accidents that are caused by drowsy truck drivers.

The United Independent Truckers of America is strongly opposed to the new rule. The organization claims that the rule is a violation of privacy. Truck drivers also say that the implementation of the rule will prevent them from getting paid for hours when their trucks aren’t moving such as when they are waiting for loading to be completed. They argue that the rule helps large trucking companies while harming small businesses and independent truck drivers.

Drowsy driving is a serious problem for truck drivers who work long hours. When truck drivers drive while they are drowsy, they raise the risk of causing accidents. People who are involved in accidents with drowsy truck drivers may be left with lifetimes of disability as a result. They might want to consult with experienced Columbus, Ohio truck accident attorneys so that they might learn about the rights that they have. Attorneys may work to recover the maximum damages for their clients so that they can be fairly compensated for the losses that they have suffered because of their accidents with the commercial trucks. The lawyers may negotiate settlement agreements or fight for their clients through jury trials.