Hours-of-Service & Other Trucking Rules That Can Win Your Case

Authored by Bradley A. Pistotnik — well-known and highly experienced Wichita truck accident lawyer; author of the book “Truck Accidents Kill,” and an authoritative speaker on trucking safety.

Coverage: Wichita Metro (Sedgwick County & surrounding communities) and Western Kansas — defined here as any county west of a north–south line that runs ~10 miles east of Topeka, bounded by Nebraska (north), Oklahoma (south), and Colorado (west).

HOS Basics (Property-Carrying)

• Maximum 11 hours driving within a 14-hour window after 10 consecutive hours off duty (49 CFR §395.3).
• 30-minute break requirement and weekly limits with 34-hour restart options.
• Short-haul and adverse-conditions exceptions may apply in narrow circumstances.

Inspections & Maintenance

• Drivers must perform pre-/post-trip inspections; carriers must maintain systems under Part 396.
• Brakes, tires, and lighting issues frequently feature in litigation and reconstruction.
• DVIRs and annual inspection records help establish patterns of neglect or compliance.

How Rules Connect to Your Case

• Fatigue evidence from ELD/RODS and supporting documents corroborates driver conduct.
• Maintenance gaps can support negligent inspection/repair theories.
• Scheduling pressure (§392.6) and speed compliance (§392.2) frame liability narratives.

Injured in a truck crash in Wichita or Western Kansas? Call Bull Attorneys for a free, confidential consultation. 24/7. We move fast to preserve ELD/telematics and black-box evidence. 316-684-4400.