New regulations have come into effect in the United States to try to cut down on fatigue for truck drivers.

Drivers will be limited to a 70 hour work week, 12 less than the previous maximum. They will also be required to take a 30 minute rest during the first eight hours of a shift. If a driver exceeds their 70 hour quota they must rest for a full 34 consecutive hours before getting behind the wheel once more. Current Australian regulations allow an operator to drive for a maximum 72 hours per week.

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) gave the industry 18 months to adopt the new regulations, which were first announced in December 2011. The department claims more than 85 per cent of the truck driving workforce will see no changes and that only the most extreme schedules will be impacted.

"These fatigue-fighting rules for truck drivers were carefully crafted based on years of scientific research and unprecedented stakeholder outreach," FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro said, "the result is a fair and balanced approach that will result in an estimated $280 million in savings from fewer large truck crashes and $470 million in savings from improved driver health. Most importantly, it will save lives."

Now that the new regulations have taken effect, companies caught allowing drivers to exceed driving limits by more than three hours can be fined $11,000 for each offence, while drivers can face penalties of up to $2,750 per breach.