Why Do HOS Regulations Exist?

1212The purpose of HOS regulations is to reduce accidents caused by driver fatigue. Many drivers don't like being told when they can and can't drive, but as you can see in the figure below, the risk of an accident is directly related to how many hours a driver has been behind the wheel. HOS regulations were designed so that drivers wouldn't push themselves too far and also so that carriers can't force drivers to drive beyond their limits.