Many truck drivers are under pressure to keep working since most are paid by the mile and there are fewer designated resting stops, according to an Indianapolis WISH TV 8 News report.

A federal law allows drivers to work 14 hours per day without stopping. Because being paid by the mile gives truck drivers incentive to keep going, many keep two logbooksto track their hours. One is to show their company, the other is to show police, said Chuck Stratis, who works as a lawyer helping victims of trucking accidents for Wagner Reese and Crossen.

The state hires inspectors working at weigh stations to watch for tired truckers. But I-Team 8 found as truck traffic continues to increase, the state slashed the number of inspector positions, down nearly 40 percent since 1992. Indiana State Police said better technology to instantly check company safety records allows fewer people to do the job.

The I-Team investigation also found a shortage of legal overnight parking for trucks. Trucking company representatives say there aren’t enough safe places for truckers to park. Rest areas designated for truckers to pull over are often packed. The overcrowding causes some truckers to park in illegal areas, such as along interstate ramps.

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