Truck driver fatigue crashes in Indiana can leave injured people facing questions about both the truck driver’s decisions and the trucking company’s responsibilities. If a driver fell asleep or continued driving while dangerously tired, the investigation may need to reach beyond what happened in the moments before impact.
How long had the driver been working? When did they last rest? What did dispatch know about the schedule? And what records can help establish the answers?
Federal hours-of-service rules limit driving time for covered commercial drivers. Electronic logs, dispatch messages, and other records can help determine whether those rules were followed—and whether fatigue contributed to the collision.
Who May Be Responsible for a Fatigued Truck Driver’s Crash?
The driver may be responsible for driving while too tired to operate safely. The motor carrier—the company operating the truck and using the driver—may also share responsibility, depending on the evidence and applicable law.
Under 49 CFR § 395.3, a motor carrier cannot permit or require a covered property-carrying driver to drive outside the applicable hours-of-service limits.
A fatigue investigation therefore looks at more than the driver’s conduct. It may also examine the company’s scheduling, dispatch instructions, and oversight.
Keller & Keller’s article on what makes an Indiana semi-truck case different explains why these claims can involve multiple causes and a more extensive investigation than a typical car accident.
What Are the Hours-of-Service Rules for Truck Drivers?
For covered property-carrying drivers, the general federal limits include:
- 10 consecutive hours off duty: Drivers generally must take this rest period before beginning another driving shift.
- An 11-hour driving limit: Drivers may generally drive up to 11 hours within the applicable 14-hour window.
- A 14-hour window: Driving generally must stop after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, even if the driver has not used all 11 driving hours.
- A 30-minute interruption after eight cumulative driving hours: Before driving beyond that point, drivers generally need a consecutive 30-minute period without driving. Qualifying on-duty, non-driving time can satisfy this requirement.
- A 60-hour or 70-hour limit: Drivers generally cannot drive after accumulating 60 on-duty hours in seven consecutive days, or 70 in eight, depending on the carrier’s operations.
- An optional 34-hour restart: At least 34 consecutive hours off duty can restart the applicable seven- or eight-day calculation.
These are general rules, and exceptions can affect the calculation. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service summary explains the requirements.
Importantly, the 14-hour rule limits when a driver may drive. It does not mean every type of work must end at that moment.
Can a Driver Follow the Hours Rules and Still Be Too Tired to Drive?
Yes. Compliance with a driving-time limit does not necessarily establish that a driver was alert enough to operate safely.
A separate federal rule, 49 CFR § 392.3, prohibits operating a commercial motor vehicle when fatigue impairs—or is likely to impair—the driver’s ability or alertness enough to make operation unsafe. The rule also addresses a motor carrier’s responsibility not to require or permit that operation.
That makes both questions important:
- Did the driver comply with the applicable hours-of-service requirements?
- Regardless of the recorded hours, was the driver too fatigued to drive safely?
Keller & Keller’s discussion of drowsy driving and driver fatigue in Indiana provides additional background on this safety concern.
Exceptions Require a Closer Look at the Records
A driver’s schedule cannot always be evaluated by simply counting the hours between the beginning and end of a trip.
Federal regulations include exceptions and alternative arrangements, including:
- Sleeper-berth splits: Qualifying rest can be divided into two periods totaling at least 10 hours. One must include at least seven consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, and the other must be at least two hours. Additional requirements apply.
- Adverse driving conditions: Qualifying unexpected conditions may allow extensions of up to two hours to the normal driving limit and driving window.
- Short-haul operations: Drivers who meet the applicable requirements may be exempt from certain logging requirements and the 30-minute break rule. The 150-air-mile short-haul exception includes specific reporting-location, duty-window, rest, and time-record requirements.
These exceptions have conditions. A carrier’s claim that an exception applied should be checked against the actual trip and records.
The requirements appear in 49 CFR § 395.1. Determining which federal and Indiana rules apply also requires reviewing the vehicle, carrier, and type of operation involved.
What Indiana Crash Data Shows About Fatigue
According to Indiana Crash Facts 2024, “driver asleep or fatigued” was recorded as the primary factor in 1,711 collisionsstatewide.
Those collisions included:
- 3 fatal collisions
- 498 nonfatal injury collisions
- 1,210 property-damage-only collisions
The same report identifies 17,514 large trucks, excluding pickups, involved in collisions in 2024.
These figures measure different things. The fatigue total includes all vehicle types; it is not a count of truck crashes caused by fatigue. Likewise, the large-truck figure counts vehicles involved, not separate crashes.
The data provides context. Establishing fatigue in an individual truck accident requires evidence specific to that collision.
Recent I-65 Reporting Highlights the Need for Investigation
A November 5, 2026, WDRB+WAVE report examined recent truck crashes in the I-65 construction zone near Henryville in Clark County.
Discussing one earlier collision, Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls said a driver had fallen asleep.
That statement was reported in a news story. It should not be treated as a substitute for the crash report, supporting evidence, or a legal determination of responsibility.
The broader question is what investigators can establish through the driver’s records, the carrier’s communications, and the circumstances of the crash.
What Evidence Can Help Prove Truck Driver Fatigue?
A driver does not have to admit being tired for fatigue to become part of an investigation. Records may help establish a timeline and test competing explanations.
Electronic Logging Device Records
An electronic logging device, or ELD, records information used to track a driver’s duty status. Many covered commercial drivers must use ELDs, although exceptions apply.
Investigators can examine recorded driving, on-duty time, and rest periods. Federal rules also prohibit false duty-status reports and certain tampering with ELDs. See 49 CFR § 395.8.
Keller & Keller’s article on Indiana truck drivers’ logbooks explains why a driver’s work history matters after a crash.
Dispatch Messages and Supporting Documents
Logs should be compared with other available records, such as:
- Dispatch instructions and messages.
- GPS and vehicle-tracking information.
- Fuel and toll receipts.
- Bills of lading and delivery records.
- Loading and unloading records.
Together, these records may help determine where the truck was, what work the driver was performing, and what schedule the carrier expected the driver to meet.
Vehicle Data and Video
Depending on the truck and its equipment, available data may show speed, braking, or other vehicle activity before impact. Dashcam footage, nearby surveillance, and witness accounts may provide additional context.
Vehicle data does not directly measure whether a driver was tired. It may help reconstruct the collision when considered with other evidence.
Our article on what a truck’s black box can reveal after an Indiana accident explains how that information may assist an investigation.
Why Preserving Trucking Records Early Matters
The deadline to file a lawsuit is different from the retention period for evidence.
FMCSA explains that carriers must generally retain drivers’ records of duty status and supporting documents for six months. A separate backup copy of ELD records must also be maintained for six months. See the agency’s ELD record-retention guidance.
Other evidence may follow different retention schedules.
An attorney may send a preservation letter identifying records and other evidence that should be retained. Early action can help address the risk of routine deletion or loss while the claim is being investigated.
When Could the Trucking Company Share Liability?
An investigation may examine whether the carrier:
- Permitted or required driving beyond applicable limits.
- Assigned schedules that raised questions about compliance.
- Received communications indicating the driver was exhausted.
- Allowed or directed improper changes to duty-status records.
- Failed to address relevant safety concerns.
These are investigative questions, not automatic findings of liability. The evidence must connect the responsible party’s conduct to the crash and resulting injuries.
A claim may involve the driver’s conduct, the company’s own conduct, or responsibility arising from the relationship between them.
Keller & Keller’s article on commercial truck driving laws in Indiana discusses the importance of examining both driver and company responsibilities.
Indiana Filing Deadlines and Shared Fault
Indiana generally requires a personal injury lawsuit to be filed within two years after the claim accrues, under Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4. Exceptions and other deadlines may apply.
For claims governed by Indiana’s Comparative Fault Act, compensation is generally reduced by the injured person’s percentage of fault. Recovery is generally barred when that person’s fault exceeds the combined fault of the other responsible parties. Being exactly 50% at fault is generally different from being more than 50% at fault. See Indiana Code § 34-51-2-6.
Claims involving government entities or public employees follow different rules and may require notice well before the ordinary lawsuit deadline.
Have the applicable deadlines reviewed promptly rather than assuming every truck accident follows the same timetable.
Checklist: What to Do After a Suspected Truck Driver Fatigue Crash
- Prioritize safety and medical care. Call 911 when someone is injured or there is immediate danger. Seek appropriate care and follow treatment instructions.
- Save the police report information. Keep the responding agency’s name and the report number.
- Document the truck and scene when safe. Photograph vehicle damage, company markings, identifying numbers, road conditions, and relevant signs.
- Collect witness information. Someone may have observed the truck drifting, braking late, or behaving unusually before the collision.
- Write down what you actually observed. Separate your recollection from information you learned afterward. Do not guess about the driver’s condition.
- Preserve original recordings. Save dashcam footage, photographs, and messages before files are overwritten or lost.
- Ask about preserving carrier records. An attorney can identify potentially relevant logs, dispatch records, tracking data, and vehicle information.
- Track the effects of your injuries. Keep medical paperwork, receipts, and missed-work records. Keller & Keller’s guide to keeping an injury journal after an Indiana accident offers practical suggestions.
Get Help After an Indiana Truck Accident
If you were injured in a crash with a semi on I-65, I-70, I-465, or elsewhere in Indiana, identifying the cause may require records you do not have access to yourself.
Keller & Keller Injury Lawyers can review the circumstances, work to preserve relevant evidence, and evaluate who may be responsible. Learn more about our Indianapolis truck accident representation.
We offer a free case evaluation. Under our Zero Fee Guarantee, no attorney fee is collected unless we win. We can explain attorney fees and case expenses during your consultation.
Call (317) 926-1111 or contact our Indiana team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the trucking company responsible if its driver falls asleep?
It may share responsibility, depending on the evidence and applicable law. Investigators may examine the driver’s schedule, the carrier’s instructions, and whether the company permitted or required unsafe driving. A driver falling asleep does not, by itself, resolve every liability question.
How many hours can a truck driver drive before taking a break?
Covered property-carrying drivers generally need a consecutive 30-minute interruption before driving beyond eight cumulative hours since the last qualifying interruption. Exceptions apply. The daily driving limit and 14-hour window are separate requirements.
Can a truck driver be dangerously tired without violating hours-of-service limits?
Yes. Federal safety rules separately address operating a commercial vehicle when fatigue makes driving unsafe. A compliant log does not necessarily resolve whether the driver was fit to drive.
How long do trucking companies keep ELD records?
Carriers generally must retain duty-status records and supporting documents for six months, along with a separate backup of ELD records for six months. That does not mean all evidence will remain available indefinitely or follow the same retention schedule.
How long do I have to file an Indiana truck accident lawsuit?
The general personal injury deadline is two years after the claim accrues, but exceptions and other requirements may apply. Evidence preservation should be considered much sooner.
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Contact Keller & Keller about your specific circumstances.
