How Trucking Companies Conceal Hours-of-Service Violations

Undefeated Texas Truck Accident Lawyers

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigue is a leading cause of fatal truck crashes, contributing to up to 40% of all commercial trucking accidents. While only 108 fatal crashes were officially linked to drowsy truck drivers last year, the real number is likely much higher. Based on federal estimates, fatigue may have contributed to more than 1,740 fatal crashes and at least 1,948 preventable deaths.

Behind many of these crashes are clear violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours of Service (HOS) rules — regulations designed to keep dangerously fatigued drivers off the road. Yet the same companies that pressure drivers to break the rules to meet impossible deadlines are often the ones that manipulate logs, erase digital records, and conceal safety violations after a crash, all to protect their profits.

Here’s what you need to know about HOS violation cover-ups and how our undefeated Texas truck accident lawyers can expose the truth and secure the justice and compensation you deserve.

Common Hours of Service Violations

Under Title 49, Part 395 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, commercial truck drivers and their employers are required to comply with strict Hours of Service (HOS) rules. These regulations are designed to prevent driver fatigue by limiting how long drivers can operate within a 24-hour period and requiring mandatory rest breaks.

Despite the clear legal requirements, many trucking companies and their drivers routinely violate HOS regulations in order to meet tight delivery deadlines and maximize profits.

Some of the most common — and dangerous — HOS violations include:

Exceeding the 11-Hour Driving Limit

Truck drivers are allowed to drive for a maximum of 11 hours within a single shift, following at least 10 consecutive hours off duty. However, many drivers push past this limit — often at the urging of dispatchers or fleet managers — leading to extreme fatigue, impaired judgment, and a dramatically increased risk of crashes.

Violating the 14-Hour Window

The 14-hour rule limits the total time a driver can be on duty, including both driving and non-driving tasks, to 14 consecutive hours after coming on. Even if they haven’t reached the 11-hour driving limit, a driver cannot legally operate a truck past the 14-hour mark without taking another full 10-hour break. Violations of this rule are common when drivers are delayed at loading docks or pressured to make deliveries “no matter what.” Additionally, federal rules don’t require drivers to sleep during their 10-hour break, so they could technically stay awake for over 24 hours and get behind the wheel again, all without violating any law.

Skipping the Mandatory Break After 8 Hours

Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without at least a 30-minute interruption. This rule exists to combat mental and physical fatigue, yet it’s frequently ignored when drivers are rushing to meet tight deadlines.

Ghost Driving

“Ghost driving” occurs when a driver logs into the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) or record of duty status as if they are driving, while another individual is actually behind the wheel. This tactic is often used to manipulate legal driving limits and make it appear that HOS rules are being followed — when in reality, the trucking company is allowing multiple shifts without required rest periods.

ELD Tampering and Logbook Manipulation

Drivers must electronically log their on-duty and off-duty status in real time, but for many, it’s commonplace to tamper with ELDs or falsify logbook entries to appear compliant. When these reckless actions are discovered, whether during a roadside inspection or following a crash, drivers can be taken out of service and the trucking company may face stiff fines.

Hiring Unqualified or Suspended Drivers

Some trucking companies fail to properly vet or monitor their drivers’ Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) status, allowing individuals with suspended licenses or falsified credentials to operate heavy commercial vehicles. In many cases, this stems from negligent hiring practices, poor training, and a company culture that prioritizes speed over safety.

Why Do Hours of Service (HOS) Violations Matter?

When trucking companies ignore Hours-of-Service rules, they increase the risk of fatigue, and with it, the risk of a deadly crash.

Fatigue is one of the most dangerous and underestimated impairments on the road. Studies have shown that driving after being awake for 18 hours produces the same level of impairment as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%. After 24 hours, it’s the equivalent of 0.10%—well above the legal limit in all 50 states.

Fatigued drivers experience slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and delayed decision-making, all of which dramatically increase the risk of a crash. When an 80,000-pound 18-wheeler is involved, even a momentary lapse can have devastating or fatal consequences—not just for the driver, but for every innocent person sharing the road.

Sadly, many of the most common HOS violations (such as exceeding driving windows, skipping mandatory breaks, and tampering with ELDs) also happen to be the most dangerous. And while the U.S. Department of Transportation can impose penalties of up to $16,000 per violation, rarely are they enough to stop carriers from breaking the rules.

In fact, Hours of Service violations have steadily increased across major trucking companies over the past two years — proof that financial penalties are no match for the profit incentives driving this dangerous behavior.

Major Trucking Companies With the Most HOS Violations

According to the FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System, some of the nation’s largest trucking companies committed hundreds of Hours-of-Service (HOS) compliance violations in the 24-month period ending April 2025.

Top offenders include:

JB Hunt: 1,259 violations
UPS: 971 violations (0.17 safety rating for HOS compliance)
Landstar: 694 violations
FedEx: 543 violations
Werner: 530 violations
Schneider National: 443 violations

While Amazon appears to have a cleaner record on the surface—with just 12 HOS violations tied to its company-owned Prime trucks—its numerous contracted “middle-mile” carriers have an unsafe driving rate that nearly doubles those of any other carrier, according to a recent CBS investigation. These contracted drivers often face intense delivery pressure and minimal oversight, creating a system where fatigue and safety shortcuts are not the exception, but the norm.

Common Ways Trucking Companies Hide Evidence of Fatigue

At Zehl & Associates, we’ve seen firsthand how far some trucking companies will go to protect their profits — even if it means breaking federal law and endangering lives.

When a crash occurs, companies often scramble to cover their tracks and bury evidence of driver fatigue. Some of the most common tactics include:

Logbook Fraud: Editing or falsifying hours-of-service logs to make it appear as though drivers were in compliance, even when they were driving well past legal limits.
Unauthorized or Manipulated ELDs: Using electronic logging devices (ELDs) that aren’t certified or tamper-resistant, allowing data to be altered or erased.
Digital Tampering: Accessing the truck’s onboard systems to delete or manipulate black box data (ECM), including speed, brake use, and drive time.
Looping and Overwriting: Looping driving time or overwriting data files to erase signs of excessive hours or skipped rest breaks.
Failing to Preserve Evidence: Delaying turning over key records — including driver dispatch logs, fuel receipts, or GPS records — hoping the evidence is lost or overwritten before investigators can review it.

More than just the driver or trucking company may be to blame. Dispatchers, maintenance technicians, and even third-party contractors can all play a role, whether by enforcing unsafe schedules, ignoring red flags, or enabling log manipulation. When that happens, you have the right to hold every responsible party fully accountable.

Our undefeated truck accident lawyers know how to identify and expose these cover-ups. We’ve used our experience, knowledge of federal regulations, and aggressive legal approach to uncover log fraud, retrieve overwritten data, and prove the company knew its drivers were dangerously fatigued.

The result? Record-breaking verdicts and settlements that send a clear message — you will not get away with ignoring safety violations when Zehl & Associates gets involved.

Our recent victories include:

$35 million settlement (2024) for a family whose loved one was tragically killed by a fatigued truck driver on Interstate 35 in Dallas, Texas. We uncovered and proved that the truck driver had untreated sleep apnea and was never cleared for driving at night.
$32 million settlement or a family who suffered severe injuries after being struck head-on by an oilfield truck driver who fell asleep at the wheel in West Texas.
$23.5 million settlement for a client who was severely injured and lost his wife in a head-on collision with a fatigued and distracted truck driver in Brazoria County, Texas.

These aren’t just numbers — they represent lives changed, futures secured, and companies held accountable for putting profits over people. We’re proud to be the first law firm in Texas to successfully obtain a court order requiring a commercial truck or bus driver to undergo an overnight sleep study, setting a legal precedent that is driving industry-wide change and helping to prevent future crashes.

How We Can Help if You Were Injured in a Fatigued Truck Driver Accident

When a fatigued driver causes you harm, the trucking company will stop at nothing to avoid responsibility and pay you as little as possible. At Zehl & Associates, we have the resources and dedication to stand up against the largest trucking companies in the world and ensure that you and your family receive the maximum compensation possible for your injuries and damages.

When fatigued drivers or negligent motor carriers violate federal Hours of Service regulations, we act fast to uncover the truth and secure your future by:

Assembling a team of top trial lawyers, accident reconstructionists, and trucking industry experts to investigate the crash and uncover what really happened.
Recovering and preserving critical evidence the trucking company doesn’t want us to see—including black box data, dash cam footage, driver logs, fuel and toll records, GPS tracking, dispatch communications, and maintenance reports.
Identifying and proving HOS violations committed by both the driver and the company.
Preparing every case for trial from day one, and never backing down until we’ve recovered the full compensation you’re owed.
Pursuing and securing punitive damages in nearly every fatigue-related case we’ve taken to trial to punish reckless behavior and help prevent future drowsy driving crashes.

From the moment you hire us, you’ll never be alone. Our team provides 24/7 support, connects you with leading medical specialists across the country, and ensures your medical bills and living expenses are covered while your case is pending, so you can focus on what matters most.

Undefeated 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers: 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult

With Billions won and decades of experience, our undefeated Texas truck accident lawyers have recovered some of the largest fatigue-related verdicts and settlements in history against the biggest trucking companies in the United States. We don’t just win. We set records.

If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a truck accident involving a drowsy driver, call us today at 1-888-603-3636 for a free consultation or send us a confidential email through our Contact Us page.

Our legal team will answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide you with the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

All consultations are free, and you won’t pay a dime unless we win your case.