Electronic Logging Devices: Fighting Fatigued Driving By Enforcing Hours of Service

Driving while fatigued, whether you drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) or a passenger vehicle, creates safety risks for all motorists.

For those driving heavy trucks, drowsy driving can lead to devastating accidents because of the vehicle’s size and weight. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), fatigued driving is a leading cause of CMV accidents, resulting in 633 deaths in 2023 just from drowsy driving wrecks. That is why professional drivers must follow hours-of-service (HOS) regulations that ensure they do not drive past the point of fatigue.

HOS regulations are strict, and drivers face consequences for violating them. For property-carrying drivers, they can only drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. After driving for eight cumulative hours, they must take a 30-minute break. They cannot drive beyond the 14^th consecutive hour after coming on duty, meaning they can use breaks or other duties, such as inspections, to split up their 11 hours over the course of a 14-hour span on duty. Regardless of whether or not they have reached their driving limit, they cannot work beyond 14 hours. When it is a passenger-carrying driver, they cannot drive more than 10 hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty and cannot continue after they have been on duty for 15 hours.

Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) are used to keep track of driver data, monitoring drive time and making driver data easily accessible. The FMCSA tracks the impact that ELDs have on industry compliance with HOS regulations and have found that violations have sharply fallen since the mandated adoption of ELDs. These electronic logs have replaced the previously used paper logs, which were phased out due to how easy it was to falsify hours-of-service. Some drivers push back against electronic logs because it does not allow them to alter their hours so they can continue driving.

The FMCSA estimated that ELDs and their enforcement will result in 1,844 accidents prevented annually, 562 fewer injuries per year, and 26 lives saved each year. And as more ELDs are removed from the list of compliant devices in 2026, more crashes could be avoided. Let’s take a look at how ELDs and their regulations help to keep roadways safer.

About Electronic Logging Devices

An ELD is a piece of technology that records driving time and other HOS data automatically, which allows for easy and accurate recordkeeping. All CMV drivers are required to follow HOS regulations to ensure they are not driving beyond the point of fatigue. The more accurate recordkeeping of ELDs helps hold drivers and motor carriers accountable if they do violate HOS regulations.

These devices monitor the vehicle’s engine to capture data on whether the engine is running, the vehicle is moving, miles driven and duration of the engine’s operation. Law enforcement is able to review a driver’s HOS by looking at the ELD’s display screen or from a printout.

ELDs synchronize with a vehicle’s engine to automatically record data. Once a driver has ended their shift, they certify these records and make any necessary annotations. When requested, the driver can transfer the data either through the internet or transferring locally using a USB or Bluetooth. The data files are then sent to a safety official to review with potential HOS violations flagged.

The ELD Rule

The FMCSA implements an ELD rule for most motor carriers and drivers—including commercial buses and trucks—who are mandated to keep records of duty status (RODS). The rule also applies to drivers who are domiciled in Mexico and Canada, unless they qualify for exemption. The FMCSA implemented this rule in an effort to create a safer work environment for CMV operators and make it easier and faster for them to track, manage and share accurate RODS data. It is the responsibility of both drivers and motor carriers to only choose ELDs that are self-certified and registered on the FMCSA website.

The final ELD rule was published in December 2015, which began a period of transition and awareness where use of ELDs was voluntary. By the end of 2017, drivers and motor carriers were required to use ELDs with existing automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRD) grandfathered for two years as the ELD rule was implemented. Starting in December of 2019, all carriers and drivers are subject to this mandate and must use ELDs that are capable of either telematic data transfer or local transfer.

However, there are some exceptions to the rule. Those who do not have to follow the ELD rule include drivers who use paper logs for at most eight days in any 30-day period, drivers of vehicles manufactured before the year 2000 and driveaway-towaway drivers as long as the vehicle driven is part of a shipment or the vehicle they are transporting is either a motor home or recreational vehicle trailer.

Since the requirement for full compliance after 2019, 0.68% of all driver inspections have cited an HOS violation. This is a decrease from 2017 when ELDs were initially rolled out, which totaled HOS violations in 1.19% of driver inspections.

Devices Removed from Registered ELDs List

All drivers and motor carriers can only use ELDs that are named on the FMCSA’s list of registered ELDs. A once registered ELD can be revoked from the list if it fails to meet the minimal requirements listed in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 395. Drivers can be placed out-of-service if they are using an ELD that was revoked from the registered list but can avoid this by discontinuing their use of the revoked ELD and reverting to paper logs or logging software to record HOS data until it is replaced within a 60-day period.

Since the beginning of 2026, the FMCSA has pulled upwards of 27 ELDs from the compliance list. This intensified scrutiny of non-compliant ELDs is part of a campaign from regulators to eliminate devices that fail to meet the federal standards, ramping up oversight of vendors and tightening the vetting process. FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs stated that, “Meeting federal requirements isn’t optional. If a device falls short, it will be removed. We enforce the standard fairly and firmly because safety depends on it.”

These removals follow a sharp increase in ELD removals in 2025, as well. 38 devices were revoked in 2025, which is an increase of over 80% since 2024. Many of these devices are removed because poorly designed or non-compliant ELDs allow for falsified HOS records, which can enable drivers to exceed mandated driving limits. The most recent revocation was for the provider HERO ELD on April 2, 2026.

A Device Meant for Safety and Accountability

Overall, the use of certified ELDs creates a safer work environment for professional drivers and safer roads for all motorists. The improved accuracy of these devices over handwritten paper logs helps to hold drivers and their companies accountable to HOS regulations and ensure drivers take the breaks they need to be safe and efficient behind the wheel. These devices also save time and money for those in the industry by reducing paperwork and costs associated with accidents.

Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. As David has said, “We don’t just handle truck accident cases. We specialize in these cases.”

Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.

Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.

David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.