Is Driver Fatigue a Problem for Taxi/Uber Drivers?

In the world of taxiing, carting, trucking and hauling good as a driver, the name of the game has always been work as many hours a possible to make as much money per paycheck as possible. Well, the blowback began decades ago when commercial carriers started getting busted for doing methamphetamines and even cocaine to stay awake on long-distance treks.

Now, it seems the other shoe may be dropping on the taxi and private pay-for-hire driver services industry, such Uber and Lyft.

New York City Setting ‘Fatigued Driver’ Limitations on the Number of Hours Drivers Can Work

Is Driver Fatigue a Problem for Taxi/Uber Drivers?

On Monday July 18, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to limit the number of hours drivers could spend transporting passengers. Their original consensus was to mandate a limit of 12 hours per day and 72 hours in a given work week.

The new rules won’t take effect until Nov. 1, in order to give the commissioners more time to evaluate their own ruling, so that they “arrive at a more exact method” of accumulating data and facts on driving and fatigue.

“Our discussion has shifted to what is the best way to calculate fatigue, and the difficulty in doing so in a world with differing levels of data,” said commission chairwoman Meera Joshi.

There’s a very good chance that if New York sets a precedent with establishing hourly limitations for taxi and private for-hire drivers who transport passengers, then other states will follow suit.

Driver Fatigue at a Glance

The following facts have been reported & published by the Transport Accident Commission:

• Fatigue is extreme tiredness caused by lack of sleep or rest over time.
• Fatigue can be brought on by physical or mental exhaustion.
• Individuals should ideally get 8 hours of quality sleep a day/night.
• Fatigue can mimic the same traits as alcohol impairment, including impaired reaction time, poor decision making, and poor concentration that can all lead to the risk of a car accident.
• Nodding off for just four seconds, while traveling at a speed of 100 km/h the vehicle can travel 111 meters without the driver in control.

Contact Lakewood Auto Accident Attorney James L. Finegan Today

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