Michigan Truck Crashes: FMCSA Hours-of-Service & ELD Data
A fatigued commercial driver is one of the most dangerous things on a Michigan highway, and the evidence that proves fatigue is sitting inside the truck right now. Federal hours-of-service rules cap how long a driver can stay behind the wheel, and the electronic logging device wired to the engine records every minute. The problem is that this data has a short shelf life. This guide explains the federal driving limits, how electronic logging device records prove a violation, and why a preservation letter in the first days can decide a truck case.
Federal Rules Govern Michigan Commercial Trucks
Interstate commercial motor carriers operating in Michigan are bound by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The hours-of-service rules in 49 CFR Part 395 exist for one reason: driver fatigue kills. When a carrier or driver breaks those rules and a crash follows, the violation is powerful evidence of negligence and often supports a direct claim against the trucking company for its own conduct.
The Hours-of-Service Limits
For property-carrying commercial drivers, the core limits are specific and measurable. They are the numbers a fatigue case is built on.
| Rule | Limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 11-hour driving limit | 11 hours | Maximum driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty |
| 14-hour window | 14 hours | Driving is barred after the 14th hour following coming on duty |
| 30-minute break | After 8 hours | Required break after 8 cumulative hours of driving |
| 60/70-hour limit | 60 hours in 7 days, or 70 in 8 days | Weekly on-duty ceiling for the carrier’s operating schedule |
| 34-hour restart | 34 consecutive hours off | Resets the weekly clock |
These limits interlock. A driver who has used the 14-hour window cannot keep driving simply because fewer than 11 hours were spent behind the wheel. A driver near the 70-hour weekly ceiling cannot reset without a full 34-hour break. Each limit is a separate line that, once crossed, marks a regulatory violation regardless of whether the driver felt tired.
The Electronic Logging Device Is the Witness
Since the federal electronic logging device mandate took effect, most commercial trucks must record duty status automatically through a device connected to the engine. The electronic logging device captures driving time, engine hours, vehicle movement, and location data, and it is far harder to falsify than the old paper logbook a driver could fill in after the fact. In a crash case, that record is often the single most important piece of evidence.
Electronic logging device data, paired with the engine control module or event data recorder, the so-called black box, can reconstruct the minutes before impact: speed, brake application, throttle, and whether the driver had exceeded the hours-of-service limits. When the device log and the black box tell the same story, the defense has little room to argue.
The data does not last forever
This is the heart of a truck case. Carriers are required to retain certain records of duty status and supporting documents only for limited periods, and electronic logging device data can be overwritten on a rolling basis. Engine control module data may be lost when the truck is repaired, returned to service, or sold. A carrier that is not on notice to preserve has every incentive to let routine retention schedules erase the evidence. The injured person who waits weeks to involve counsel may find the most important proof is already gone.
Other Records That Build the Case
Hours-of-service data rarely stands alone. A complete truck investigation pulls the surrounding paperwork that the federal rules require carriers to keep:
- Driver qualification file: licensing, medical certification, road test, and prior employment history.
- Dispatch and trip records: bills of lading, fuel receipts, and toll records that can contradict a falsified log.
- Maintenance and inspection records: evidence of brake, tire, or equipment failures.
- Drug and alcohol testing records: post-accident testing required under federal rules.
- Carrier safety history: prior violations and out-of-service orders that show a pattern.
When the broker or shipper had a role in selecting an unsafe carrier, liability can reach beyond the driver and the motor carrier. Our guide to truck broker liability after Montgomery covers when a broker can be on the hook.
How Fatigue Evidence Interacts With Michigan Law
A truck crash in Michigan still runs through the state’s no-fault and tort framework. The injured person’s own PIP benefits pay first for medical care and wage loss, while the claim against the at-fault carrier for noneconomic damages must clear the serious impairment threshold under MCL 500.3135. Fatigue and hours-of-service violations strengthen the liability side of that tort claim and help defeat the comparative fault arguments insurers raise to push an injured person toward the 51 percent bar. The three-year deadline to sue still applies, and the evidence-preservation clock runs much faster, which is why early action matters. See our overview of the personal injury statute of limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a commercial truck driver legally drive in one day?
Under federal hours-of-service rules, a property-carrying driver may drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, and may not drive at all after the 14th hour following the start of the shift. A 30-minute break is required after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
What is an electronic logging device and why does it matter?
An electronic logging device connects to the truck’s engine and automatically records driving time and duty status. It is the primary record of whether a driver violated the hours-of-service limits, and because it is automatic, it is far more reliable than a handwritten logbook.
Can the trucking company destroy the data before my case starts?
Carriers retain certain records only for limited periods, and engine data can be lost when a truck is repaired or sold. That is why a preservation letter should be sent immediately to put the carrier on formal notice to keep the logs, the black box data, and the related files. Destruction after notice can lead to serious consequences in court.
Is the trucking company liable, or just the driver?
Often both. The carrier can be directly liable for negligent scheduling, pressuring drivers to exceed limits, poor maintenance, or negligent hiring, in addition to being responsible for the driver’s conduct on the job. Brokers and shippers can sometimes be liable as well.
Do federal trucking rules apply to a crash entirely within Michigan?
Interstate carriers are bound by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and Michigan has adopted comparable safety standards for commercial vehicles. The hours-of-service and recordkeeping framework typically governs the carriers most likely to be involved in a serious highway crash.
What should I do right after a truck crash?
Get medical care, document the scene if you safely can, and contact counsel quickly so a preservation letter goes out before the electronic data is lost. The first days matter more in a truck case than in almost any other type of crash.
Hit by a commercial truck? The evidence is disappearing now.
Attorney Manny Chahal moves fast to preserve electronic logs and black box data in Michigan truck cases. Free review. No fee unless we recover.
Call 1-844-624-2425